The Heart of the Matter
by byaboo
Summary: Regina captures Belle after Rumplestiltskin tells her to leave. It is not known what exactly the Evil Queen has in store for the poor girl. Rated M for some things that will happen in later chapters. Mostly Gold and Regina at first with later appearances by Emma and Mary-Margaret. Minor tweeks made to Chapter 2 for continuity.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: I've been kicking this idea of a Rumbelle story around for about a week. I've been actively reading other Rumbelle stories and have yet to come across something similar. I hope you enjoy it.**

+Regina+

She knew that this twit would have to be played at the right time. Looking at the figure hunched in the corner of the room put a smile on her face. Even through the small window and the distance she could see that this girl was near catatonic. The girl's head slowly turns towards her and Regina just lets the flap close over the window. With a new sense of power she strode out of the hospital and stopping only briefly to pick up a black rose Regina went to her next destination.

Henry Mills

Beloved Father

Regina places the rose on top of the stone casket and slowly putting her weight against it begins sliding revealing the staircase underneath.

"I love you Daddy." She spoke without the emotion though and was already walking down the stairs before she'd finished her statement. The beating used to be deafening to her but now it was like a rain on a hot summer day, soothing and lulling her into a calmness that was rare now that _she_ was in town. Just the mere thought of the woman made Regina's blood boil. The willingness that Henry had to completely trust this outsider made Regina even angrier. Slowly she wandered past the thumping boxes decoratively placed in the wall until she was standing in front of the one she desired.

It always amazed Regina how small the heart actually is, barely larger than a person's palm. Gently taking the box Regina turns and strides back out of her crypt and returns her father's casket back over the stairs. Her crimson smile was not one of happiness but one of knowing she had the upper hand. Looking at her watch and realizing that Henry would be arriving at her office soon for their Thursday dinners before she took him to see the cricket. Her stride quickens ever so slightly.

"Regina," Henry's voice shook her from her planning and with a smile that never made it to her eyes Regina sighed and turned towards her son.

"Henry, I'm your mom. Call me that." Henry just shrugged at her and Regina bit her tongue to keep from yelling at him that he was hers and would never be that woman's. Instead she just roughly grabbed his shoulder and turned him around to walk towards her car.

"So, do you want to eat at Granny's Diner, or do you want me to cook for you?" Henry was silent and just shrugged again at her.

"So, has my son taken to being a mime? What's with all the shrugging? I believe I asked you a question that was worth more than a mere shrug. I could make you one of my delicious apple pies." Usually any mention of dessert would bring Henry out of whatever stupor he was in, usually.

"I don't want any of your poisoned apples." He was too smart for his own good and with a tightening grip of the steering wheel Regina slowly made her way to the curb and parked the car. She turns to her son and looks at him. She takes his chin in her hands so he is forced to look at her.

"Henry, how many times do I have to tell you that I am not the Evil Queen in that book that Miss Blanchard gave you? Do you know how much that hurts my feelings when you keep insisting that? I have done everything for you, would an Evil Queen do that?" Instead of answering her Henry just opened the door and left. Regina was out of the car immediately and went towards Henry but he just looked at her with an amount of hatred she'd never seen before.

"You got Emma arrested when she didn't do anything. You are constantly forcing people to bend to your will and I am not going to let you do that to me!" Henry turned and ran from her. Regina almost went after him but she thought better of it and just got back into her car. She knew where he would be running to and Regina would use it to her advantage to get that woman out of her town. Returning to her office Regina unlocked the hidden wall safe and carefully removed the thumping box. Making sure her door was locked Regina sat at her desk and opened the lid on the box. The red glowing heart was steadily thumping. The smile returns to her face as Regina's plan begins to fall into place. She'd always been his one weakness, well that and his son. Baelfire is, however, frustratingly unreachable for the moment.

At that moment her cell phone rang, Regina knew it would be one of two people and she dearly hoped it wouldn't be her, or else this poor heart would be dust by the end of the conversation. Looking at the caller ID she saw that it was Sydney calling.

"Yes." The poor man was always reduced to near stuttering whenever she was near him and Regina had once used that to her advantage to kill the King but she had no real use of him for the moment.

"I just saw your boy go into Hopper's office." Regina did have to admit that he was a damn good set of eyes for her. Instead of saying anything Regina just hung up the phone and turned to look out the window. Taking the heart into her hands she puts it a mere breath away from her mouth.

"Listen closely." The smile was again on her lips and Regina began to talk. The heart just beat away. That night with Henry in bed Regina lay down with a slight excitement for the next day and the beginning of her plan. She knew that Gold would be by to see her soon and then he would get the shock of a lifetime.

_Queen's Castle_

_Belle stood defiantly before her. Usually people cowered in her presence._

_"I will find a way out of here and I will find him again. You can't keep me from him." Instead of responding Regina just had her Dark Knight make the girl kneel pulling her head back so that she is forced to look at Regina._

_"Oh, dear stupid girl, I am planning on that exact thing." Regina then placed her hand on the girls' chest. At this point most people's heart would be pounding so hard that she would have some difficulty in keeping it in her hand. This idiot was however calm and was not even squirming. She just kept looking up at the woman with those blue eyes. Regina plunged her hand into her chest and yanked the heart out. It can be done gently, but Regina loved the shuttering cry that happened, and this time was no different; except, except the girl didn't even make a noise, just kept looking at her with those damn blue eyes._

_Regina squeezed the heart a little waiting for the appropriate response but was just met with a gasp and a tightened jaw on the girl._

_"Take her to the dungeon." With that the Dark Knight picked up the girl by the back of the neck and led her out of the room. Regina walks past a mirror and could see in her periphery the stupid Genie staring back at her. It did feed her ego to have someone so desperately hung up on her that they would curse themselves to never be apart from her._

Regina is impatiently looking out the window in her office for the cripple. She loves that he got the easy life he wanted but she made sure that he would be hampered in some way. She can see the brown hair gracefully walking towards the town hall. It's been a week since she's put everything into place for this one moment.

"Oh, Mrs. Knighton, could you please come in here?" Her new secretary was working out so well on many levels. The auburn haired woman walked into her office silently holding a pad of paper and a pen.

"Yes, ma'am Mayor Mills, what can I do for you?" Her voice was quiet with a whisper of fear.

"I just saw my two o'clock walk in could you get some tea for us?" The secretary nodded and quickly turned on her heel and left to do Regina's bidding. The smile was difficult to hide as she heard the tap of Gold's cane on her marble floors.

"Right on time, Gold, sit I have someone getting us some tea."

+Mr. Gold+

He knew that she was planning something, why else would she so readily call and arrange a meeting about the assault case he still had pending. Well, if Gold was being honest with himself he knew that he never knew that Regina would do anything without a plan in place. Gold was simultaneously glad to get the French thing over and done with while curious about what little nugget she was going to drop on him.

"I'd rather stand, Regina. I doubt I'll be here long." He could hear the click clack of heels but instead of turning to the approaching sound he just kept staring at Regina. There was a smile that was growing on her face; before he could make a comment though he heard the accented voice come from behind him.

"Excuse me, sir, I didn't know what kind of tea you would want so I just made some peppermint tea." It is a voice that he would recognize readily before he could turn around however she was setting the two cups down on the desk.

"You may go, Mrs. Knighton." She slipped out of the office and it was a few seconds before Gold remembered to breath.

"Cat got your tongue Gold?" His eyes landed sharply on Regina and with a single stride he was at the edge of the desk.

"Our business is done now." Gold turned and walked out of the office pausing only slightly at her desk and saw those blue eyes look at him with such a blank look in them. He could barely contain the mixture of emotions that were flowing through his veins. His mind wanders back to the one day that his world darkened.

_Dark Castle_

_He stood at the spinning wheel when she entered, although he knew she was arriving long before she walked in. His wards he'd put up to warn against an intrusion had sparked a few minutes prior._

_"Flimsy locks," a mirthless giggle escapes her lips, "I have a deal to discuss, it's about a certain mermaid."_

_"I am not dealing today." He says quietly still spinning his wheel trying to forget about what happened._

_"Is this about that girl I met on the road? What was her name, Margie, Verna?"_

_"Belle." He said her name almost in a whisper; it still made his heart ache whenever her name crossed his mind much less saying it._

_"Oh, well you can rest assured I had nothing to do with that tragedy." He knew he was being baited but he had to know what was wrong. Maybe he could fix it and win her back._

_"What tragedy?"_

_"You don't know? Wow. After she got home, her fiance had gone missing. And after her stay here, her association with you, no one would want her of course. Her father shunned her, cut her off, shut her out."_

_The hope rose in his heart that he might be able to make things right with her._

_"So she needs a h-home?" His hopes were dashed with the chuckle that emanated from the Evil Queen._

_"He was cruel to her. He locked her in a tower and sent clerics in to cleanse her soul with scourges and flaying. After a while she threw herself off the tower. She died." To say that his heart was truly broken was like saying the sun can be a little bright._

_"You're lying."_

_"Am I?"_

_"We're done." He could see that she was loving the hurt he was feeling._

_"Fine, I have other calls to make. The place is looking dusty Rumple; you should get a new girl." The Evil Queen left and Rumple was compelled towards his most special treasures. Next to Bae's scarf lies the cup, her cup. With great reverence Rumplestiltskin takes the Holy Grail off the podium and gently places the tea cup there. It is with this act that he finally loses it and begins to cry. It was a several months before Rumple could venture past the tea cup without shedding a few tears. It only reminded him of his cowardice, he should have gone after her. He should have explained the reason for the curse and why he didn't want to lose his power yet. He'd been so damn terrified of the feelings that he'd been feeling. Rumple would find himself wandering down to her room. He would pick up the pillow he'd magically made for her. He claimed it was to stifle the crying but he knew, but wasn't ready to admit it, that she was starting to grow on him._

A slight cough and a nervous tucking of hair behind her ear brought him out of his memories. It is then that he notices the sizeable engagement and accompanying wedding rings that sat on her finger. With a slight smile Gold quickly leaves the mayor's offices. His anger was mixed with a bubble of happiness. She wasn't dead. His Belle, she wasn't dead. Without realizing it Gold made his way back to his house where it finally hit him what had happened. He'd seen his Belle and she was alive, but, but there was something….off and he couldn't quite figure out what it was.

There is a knock on his front door; Gold dutifully ignoring it until he heard her voice.

"Mr. Gold, sir. I've got some paperwork that Mayor Mills realized she needed you to sign." Gold practically ripped the door off its hinges to see her, even if it is just for a second. She stepped back at the sudden motion.

"B- Um, Miss..."

"Knighton"

"Miss Knighton, please come in. It feels a bit chilly out there and I wouldn't want you to catch something on my account." He could hardly breathe as she walked into the foyer and waited for him to lead her to the sitting room. Gold could smell a pungent perfume that didn't fit her as she sat down on the couch. She handed him the folder of paperwork and quietly looked at his collection. Gold could smell Regina's influence all over her being here.

"I was about to make some tea, would you like a cup, Miss Knighton?" His hope was barely able to be contained from spilling out as he spoke.

"Thank you, no, I am meeting my husband at Granny's Diner so I can't stay long. Please call me Rose." Yep, that had Regina all over it. She sent her here to tease and taunt him with what he doesn't have. He quickly signed the papers and handed them back to her, his hand lingering in the air after she takes the folder. He saw her out the door and watches from the window as she gets in her car and drives away. For the life of him Gold can't figure out what feels so off about his interactions with Rose. Gold sat up the rest of the night trying to figure it out. The rising of the sun brought no answers and only more anger and frustration.


	2. Chapter 2

+Rose+

She sat at Granny's waiting for Aston, her husband, but her mind keeps wandering to the brown eyed Mr. Gold. The way he looked at her earlier was one of someone recognizing a long lost love. Ruby is practically naked standing at the table next to her taking the order of a blonde woman and her little boy. If those shorts were any shorter, they would be just underwear. Rose shook her head and looks to the tinkle of the bell above the door to see her husband walk in. She smiles quickly at him and he slides into the booth across from her. Aston has always prided himself on looking his best and tonight was no different. He is in a tight pair of jeans with a tight t-shirt that shows off his muscles. His dark hair is combed and Rose would bet that it is gelled to the point of not moving in a tornado. He is looking at Ruby with unabashed desire in his eyes.

"You should borrow those shorts from Ruby; I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off of you if you wore something like that." His focus is finally on her and Rose can tell he is assessing her appearance. She was suddenly so aware of the chips in her nail polish and the wild tendrils of curl that escaped her low ponytail. As soon as Ruby is at their table Aston is ordering for the two of them, even though she's protested to him doing that before.

"I'll have a hamburger with french fries and a beer; get her the cesear salad with light dressing and water to drink." Ruby looked directly at her with her mouth slightly slack jawed.

"Um, I think she can speak. Honey, is a salad what you want? You look like you are hungry." Rose felt an instant liking towards this woman. She could hear Aston slightly gasp at her.

"She wants-" Aston isn't able to finish his sentence before Rose finds her voice.

"A hamburger, please, with everything and french fries as well." She smiled at Ruby as Ruby subtly winks at her. She could feel Aston's eyes on her and she turned to look him in the eyes.

"I haven't eaten anything solid Aston for three days now. Lettuce is just water in a leafy form. Give me a break, okay. I am starving." The look of shock doesn't leave Aston's face for more than a few moments. It isn't long before their food and drinks are in front of them and Rose noticed the mound of fries on her plate were almost double the amount on Aston's. The hamburger was like heaven on a bun and for the first time in almost a week Rose felt full. The check was not long once both Aston and Rose had finished their dinner. Aston left precisely enough for the meal, Rose felt bad that Ruby did nothing wrong but would be stiffed on getting a tip. As subtly as she could she slipped a twenty out of her purse and put it on the table under her plate.

She caught Ruby's eye and made a subtle motion towards her plate and Ruby winked. Aston stood waiting for her on the sidewalk and Rose could tell that he was pissed off with her. She was about a foot behind her when he whirled around on her.

"What the fuck was that in there, Rose? Are you trying to make me look like an asshole? If I order something for you then you sit there and smile. You undermined me in front of a roomful of people and I am furious with you." Aston just stomped off towards their small apartment and when he turned the corner without looking back at her Rose let the tears well up in her eyes. A comforting arm wrapped itself around her shoulders. Ruby's voice was in her ear as she guided Rose to the Inn.

"Come on; let's get you a nice comfy bed to sleep in. A world of good can come from a peaceful night's sleep." Rose just nodded her head and let Ruby guide her. The bed was comfortable and it would be nice not to have Aston try to perpetually persuade Rose to have sex. It didn't help that Aston never learned the nuances that it took to keep a woman content in bed. He knew what he liked and so he did that and that alone. The tears that had threatened to fall never do and as Rose slips off to sleep she practically sighs with contentment. Her dreams that night are wonderful and filled with a mysterious man and a spinning wheel.

Rose awoke long after the sun had risen and felt such a sense of renewal after one of the best night's sleep she'd gotten in years. Usually she was awaking in a panic over getting breakfast started, his lunch made, his clothes had to be ironed. She would end up with just a cup of coffee. Mornings were always the worst with Aston and his picking her apart. It would typically start with an innocuous comment or question.

"Does this suit look good on me, Rose? I just don't know if it brings out my eyes enough." This would lead to a one sided discussion on her wardrobe, or lack thereof.

"You really should try and dress nicer, dear. You are my wife and as such you should dress to impress. I want people to look at you and be jealous of me for having the most beautiful wife." He would then take his lunch and leave for the day. By the time he would leave Rose would be so stressed out that she would have no ability to eat, much less keep something down.

Her ribs were showing under her skin and her face had a haunted look about them with ever present bags under her eyes. When she'd met Aston years ago she couldn't believe how such a handsome guy would want her. As she was finishing dinner that evening Aston came up behind her and surprised her with flowers.

"Roses for my Rose." She quietly took them and put them into one of the plethora of vases she had and set them on the dining room table. Aston came up behind her and began to kiss her neck. Rose closed her eyes and sighed slightly.

"Aston, honey could you give me a back rub? I was stocking shelves all day at the market and my back is crying out to be rubbed." He took her hand and led her to the bedroom where he gently took her shirt and bra off. She was rubbed for a full three minutes before Aston was grabbing for the sides of her chest and her butt.

"Um, that's not my back." He stilled on the bed and Rose instantly knew that he was livid at her, again.

"I did as you wanted now it's my turn. I want to make love to my wife." He kissed her back between her shoulder blades and slowly groped her butt. Rose finally had enough and smacked his hand away. She got up quickly and turned her fiery anger at Aston.

"I asked for a back rub because I spent all damn day bending over stacking shelves. I would have gotten more of a back rub from the shower head than what you just gave me Aston. I am a person who deserves more than your passing interest." She slammed the bedroom door and was out of the apartment before she could make herself stop. Once she was on the sidewalk Rose paused briefly debating where to go. She could go to her father's house but he wouldn't understand. He'd always pushed for Rose to stay with Aston. Moe, Rose's father, had always claimed that since he was an accountant and that he was a part of Mayor Mills's staff that he was set for life and that she should consider that whenever Ashton and she had a fight. Rose sighed and headed towards Granny's Inn for another night.

Rose is reflecting on the evening not paying attention to where she is going when she bumps into someone. The clatter of whatever they were holding is what jars her into reacting and grabbing the now falling person.

"I am so incredibly sorry. I-" her voice is silenced when she sees who she is trying to help.

"It's okay, Dearie. I'm fine. Are you okay?" She started to say yes but all she could do was shake her head, the lump in her throat would not let her speak.

"Come now, Mrs. Knighton, let us get you a cup of coffee and a brownie. I've heard a little chocolate can solve a myriad of problems." His smile is brief but still went a long way towards making Rose feel better. Mr. Gold picked up his cane and with a hand on the small of her back guided Rose towards the diner. To say that the diner was silent when they walked into it is an understatement; Rose could have heard a pin drop a state away. It was nothing compared to the constant glances that were happening. Thankfully Ruby just sidled up to the table and took their orders without an issue.

"So, would you like to talk about what happened? If not we can talk about something else." There was just something about him that made Rose open up and confide about her marriage.

"We've been married for what seems like ever but I can't even remember what I used to see in him." Gold sat silently just staring at his glass of water with a grim look. Rose silently sips her coffee and tried to ignore the staring but it was starting to annoy her. Ruby dropped off their desserts and it's like a dam broke in Mr. Gold's brain. The look of desire was brief but she could still see it in his eyes. It's a look that Rose hasn't had from Aston in years.

+Mr. Gold+

The realization that Rose was unhappy made Gold feel simultaneously happy, hopeful and saddened. He'd always dreamt that his Belle would come back to him and if her husband keeps treating her this way then there's a chance it might happen. Of course Gold had not intentionally bumped into her; he was wandering the city, which he did whenever he couldn't sleep. It was amazing the amount of intel one could gather just by walking and observing. He knew that Ruby was taking her breaks with the rat from one of the castles, which he always found intensely funny. He knew that Granny was a marksman and would practice in the forest. Let alone the Charmings are almost always walking together in a dreamy state. It was something Gold had been able to pick up when he was the dark one, being unseen and unheard. He knew that this Emma girl would be the one to break Regina but she was still having a difficult time with the fact that she had a son.

"Dearie, might I offer a suggestion, take tonight and get a room in Granny's Inn and see what you feel when the sun rises." The look of utter exhaustion was hard not to notice. A too brief smile and a nod of her head and Rose turned towards the Inn. The smile made Gold reacted by his gut. He gently put his hand on her shoulder and turned her towards him. The look of shock was very evident but Gold was already in motion and his lips grazed her temple.

"Hey! What the fuck are you doing with my wife?" Gold turned towards the noise and was met with a fist to his face. The sheer momentum of the punch made him lose his balance and he sat hard on the sidewalk.

"Aston, stop. You are not my protector, okay. Go home, now." Rose swooped down next to him and began helping Gold up. If only Gold still had his magic, there is a dearth of people who need to be turned into slugs around here. Aston stood there with his fists still clenched. Gold, ever wanting to show his dominance in any situation, acted more hurt than he was. Rose all but glared at Aston when Gold finally found his footing.

"Mr. Gold I'll walk you home, just to make sure you are really okay. Aston I won't say it again. Go. Home. Now." With that Rose gently took Gold's shoulders and began leading him towards his house. He exaggerated his limp slightly.

"You don't have to walk me home, Mrs. Knighton; I can manage to get home."

"Mr. Gold, please call me Rose. I want to make sure you've taken some Tylenol and to make sure that you have an ice pack on your nose, it's slightly swollen." The determination in her grip on his shoulder made Gold remember how strong his Belle really was. His mind wandered back to a time when he'd had similar treatment.

_Dark Castle _

_The doors opened with a small creak and Rumplestiltskin walked into the room in a daze and Belle immediately was at his side. Her concern was easily read on her face as she rushed towards him and led him to her fainting chair. He gratefully let her ease him down onto the lounge. It had been a couple of centuries since he'd had anyone dote over him. _

_"A particularly bad deal Rumple? I've never seen you this worn out after any deal. I would venture to say that they give you some sort of energy." He just smiled as she sat down next to him and slowly fed him some stew she'd been simmering on the fire all day. It was with a brushing away of his hair that Rumple knew he was in love with this contradiction of a woman. That feeling was something Rumplestiltskin had only ever felt once before and that was when he held Bae for the first time. He'd resigned himself to being the monster that never felt anything. _

_Rumplestiltskin was at his spinning wheel when he could hear her humming in the front hallway, slowly he went towards the side door that lead to the hallway, he could see her gently swaying while she hummed a song from her village of Avonlea. _

_"Well, Dearie, if I'd known you could sing then I would have bartered your family's safety for your voice." She'd jumped slightly at his presence but did nothing more than look at him._

_"I think that would be the first deal that wouldn't end well for you Rumple." She smiled at him and took her broom towards the cleaning closet. Rumple was left with a smile playing across his lips. His heart leapt when he saw the coy look that she threw at him over her shoulder. _

"Mr. Gold, sir, do you have your keys?" Her voice shook him out of his memories and he pulled his keys out of his suit jacket pocket. Upon entering the house Gold had tried to make his way towards his couch to crash but Rose's hands gently grabbed his shoulders and pointed him towards the stairs.

"To bed, you go. You are going to have a massive headache in the morning and I am determined to make sure you've been taken care of."

"I'll be fine; it's not the first time I've been hit." He could see a look of sadness mixed with concern flash across her face. He tried once more to go towards his couch but her hands turned him, albeit a bit more sharply, towards the stairs.

"I am going to get an ice pack for you go change and get into bed." It was the gentle shove that made Gold finally move up the stairs. He could hear Rose quietly opening and closing drawers looking for a hand towel to put ice in. He quickly changed into his silk pajamas and slid into bed. Gold closed his eyes as he was beginning to feel the pain in his nose and his butt from the fall. The sudden coolness of the ice pack on the bridge of his nose startled Gold.

"I didn't mean to startle you, sir. I am truly sorry for Aston's behavior. He's always been a bit …. overprotective when it comes to me." She handed Gold three Tylenol and a glass of water and he took them gratefully.

"You call it overprotective I call it jealousy." Gold had meant to say that under his breath but it came out slightly louder than that. The shifting of the bed made him cautiously open his eyes. He could see a dawning of realization in Rose's eyes.

"Feel better, sir." And like a dream Rose was gone, the soft tap of the door closing was deafening to Gold. All he could do was lay there with the ice on his nose until his whole face felt numb. He will have to go speaking to Regina about her role in everything.

He looked at the clock and saw that it was only 5:15. Gold slipped out of bed and hobbled towards his closet to begin getting dressed. He knew Regina hated early morning visitors. He was silent when he saw the lights come on and the click clacking of her heels on the floor. The lights came on in her office and Regina was at her desk setting her briefcase down when he spoke.

"You, dearie, have a lot of explaining to do." The only way Gold knows that Regina was surprised was the slight coloring of her cheeks and the widening of her eyes.

"Gold, I have a busy day so if you reschedule I'm sure my secretary would make arrangements."

"Sit, please." He motioned for the chair diagonally from him and she begrudgingly sat in the chair.

"I turned Gaston into a rose, how did you change him back into a person." Regina reclined into her chair and the smug look of power spread across her face.

"Do I have to use the magic word Regina, explain. Please." He ground out the last word and watched the war going on within her eyes.

"I had one of my knights go in search of him after I found out he'd gotten a fool's notion to go and challenge you. I told the knight to look for anything that was out of the ordinary and he returned with the rose. It was easy magic to return him to his previous form, except the legs, I had to get some healers in to fix that. It took them three days to fix that little problem." That made Gold smile slightly, he had taken a bit of pleasure at Belle cutting the rose's end. His face grew serious again as he stood and walked out of her office.

+Regina+

"Please" she mumbled. Gold wasn't supposed to remember the world before the curse. No one else besides her did and it was infuriating Regina. Although the bruising on Gold's face made Regina smile; she knew that she'd have to manipulate the playing field.

"Time to play dirty." She took the heart out of the box and began speaking to it. As soon as Rose was in the office that morning Regina could tell the girl hadn't slept and had some serious bags under her eyes.

"Mrs. Knighton, please come here. I'm concerned about you. What's wrong?" It was as if she couldn't hold it in anymore and Rose began talking about what was happening in her life and about her plans on possibly leaving her husband. Regina feigns concern and gives Rose the day off. Her pawn looked gratefully at her and walked out of the office. She waited until that night to begin her plan.

"Rose, listen closely. You are going to go back to Aston and you will apologize for not coming home last night. You love Aston and you will not be leaving him." Regina spends the rest of the night repeating the same things over and over. Once she is finally able to sleep Regina dreams of beating Gold in their power struggle.

"Henry you're going to be late for school and your breakfast is getting cold. Hurry up." The silence from the upstairs angers Regina as she knows what that meant. Henry has snuck out and went to that woman's apartment. As she is climbing the stairs, however, Henry quietly walks down the stairs towards her.

"Do I have to go to school today?"

"Do you honestly think I am going to let you play hooky from school so you can keep up the idea that we are fairy tale characters? Henry, go eat your breakfast. I am taking you to school this morning." That boy was going to be the death of her one of these days with his petulance. Nothing could dampen her spirits today, no today Regina moves one of her chess pieces and she can't wait to see how Gold will respond.

+Mr. Gold+

He stood in his shop looking over his collection and reflecting on the deals made when the tinkling of the bell drew his attention. It was that abhorred Aston.

"Um, sir, I just wanted to apologize for what happened last night. I know I can be jealous when it comes to Rose. I am truly sorry. I also wanted to buy something for Rose to apologize to her as well. I was thinking a book of some sort. I know she likes to read." The sneer is barely hidden behind Gold's mask and he grips his cane tight enough to make his knuckles turn white. This wretched sea urchin should be a sticky slime under his shoe instead of in front of him now. He's asking for advice to boot that just irked Gold more. He knew that this was a manipulation by Regina he's just not sure what her end game is. Well two can play that game.

"I have a first addition book that your lovely wife would probably love." Gold quickly walks to the back of the store, behind the curtain, and grabs Beauty and the Beast. Knowing his Belle she'll recognize the story as her own. He just prayed that she would. The two men haggled over price for a few minutes but Aston eventually paid the original price for the book and left. No more than an hour later the doorbell chimed again.

"I'm quite popular today." Gold mumbled as he makes his way towards the front of the shop.

"Mrs. Knighton, what a pleasant surprise. What brings you to my shop?" His smile is neither swift nor small.

"Mr. Gold, I wanted to come by and see how you were feeling. I'm sorry I left so abruptly the other night, I just, I just had some thinking I needed to do."

"Well, as you can see Dearie, I'm still here alive and kicking." Her smile lightens Gold's heart. When her hand finds his Gold's eyes widen slightly and he can't break his eyes away from their touching hands. Her hand is warm and soft, just like he remembered it to be.

"Mr. Gold, how many times am I going to have to ask you to please call me Rose?" She squeezes his hand and goes to pick up something she'd set on his floor. To say Gold is curious is a serious understatement; he is surprised by the bag that was set in front of him. He looks at Rose and could see a look of happiness in those ocean blue eyes. She motioned for him to open the bag and when he does Gold pulled out a large Tupperware container full of chocolate chip cookies.

"I wanted to thank you for being there for me the other night. It meant a lot to me that you listened as I complained about Aston. I hope you enjoy them." He put his hand on the container of cookies and was surprised to find them still warm; he looked up at the retreating figure of Rose.

"Thank you for the cookies, Rose. Chocolate chip cookies happen to be my favorite." Her happy smile was the last thing he saw of her as she exited his shop. Gently he takes the cookies into his back room and just sets them on his counter. He can't even bring himself to open the container, at least not yet. He quietly gets up and walked to the cabinet that contained her tea cup and he takes it out.

**AN: I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Please feel free to review, your reviews will only make my writing better.**


	3. Chapter 3

+Belle+

_Evil Queen's Castle_

_Belle is sitting in her cell her chest having a feeling of cold and emptiness. It was amazing how full her heart had been not more than three days before, the potential true love that she knew Rumplestiltskin felt to the utter devastation that he loved his power more than her. The tears never come though and for that she was thankful. The Evil Queen had made a few visits down to her cell just to gloat about the fact that Rumple didn't love her. All Belle did, though, was to just stare at the evil woman and keep silent._

_"I'm not going to hurt you, yet. You are a quite useful pawn to me now and I'm not about to let this slip through my fingers. Oh, well, I hope the irony of a bed made of straw isn't lost on you. I'm off to see your almost true love, I'll tell him you said hi." With that the Evil Queen chuckled and disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke; at once her Dark Knight brought a looking glass that showed the grand hall in the Dark Castle. Belle could see Rumple standing at his spinning wheel and her chest constricted. He looked so upset and sad, a look she'd only seen once before and that was at the mention of his son._

_The Evil Queen was telling Rumple a lie about what happened when she returned home. _

_"So she needs a h-home?" The hope in his voice nearly makes Belle cry out, she instead let the tears that had long before blurred her vision begin to fall. The utter look of heartbroken sadness at hearing that she was dead did elicit a moan of remorse for not staying and fighting harder. The vision did not end with the Evil Queen leaving, no she was too cruel for that, instead it followed Rumple as he walked over to his cabinet opening it and gently taking out a tea cup, her tea cup, and placing on the pedestal that once held the Holy Grail. The last look she had of him was him beginning to cry while he stood looking at the tea cup._

_"Rumplestiltskin I love you. I will never stop fighting for us." She said this into the now gone image of him. _

+Rose+

Rose ran the same loop for the third time. Her legs were already aching and she knew that they would be killing her when she went to work that morning. She'd redoubled her efforts to make things work with Aston. They'd been married for ten years by that point and she wasn't about to throw away their life. She'd started dieting and was running at least four miles a day. Aston was being nicer towards her and actually gave her a foot rub without asking for something in return. He'd told her that there was a surprise he was planning for Saturday and he wasn't giving up any clues. Her iPod decided at that moment to begin playing Hoobastank's The Reason and Rose's mind immediately flashed Mr. Gold's face.

I'm not a perfect person  
There's many things I wish I didn't do  
But I continue learning  
I never meant to do those things to you  
And so I have to say before I go  
That I just want you to know

I've found a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
and the reason is you

At this point Rose hadn't seen or spoken to Mr. Gold in a week and she was surprised to feel like she missed him. There was no logical reason for this and she shook her head trying to wipe his face out of her head. It happened again in the shower at the end of her run. His face was in her mind, but this time it was different, more golden but not in a tanned way and his eyes were different. As Rose dried off in the bedroom she wandered over to the book that Aston had given her the prior week. She'd always loved this story but for some reason it resonated with her on a much deeper level than it ever had prior. The book was embroidered with golden roses along the spine and Rose couldn't help but run her fingers down the spine feeling the raised stitches.

"You need to hurry up Rose; we're going to be late for work. I've laid out your clothes. Tonight we'll go for dinner at Granny's and then I think I'll surprise you with what I've been hinting at all week." Rose smiled at Aston and quickly dressed in the practically skintight cleavage baring blouse and equally tight pencil skirt, which landed on her upper thighs, it barely covered anything. Rose was glad she could claim the office being cold for putting on some opaque pantyhose. The shoes were the most ridiculous; they were six inch stilettos that she could easily break her ankle on.

She covered the shirt with a suit jacket and was grateful that it wasn't skintight as well. She grabbed her standard breakfast of coffee and walked out the door with her husband. They had taken to going into work together, prior to this they would go in separately because Aston didn't need to really be there until around ten. Rose had to admit that she was enjoying spending more quality time with her husband. It was nice to feel like more of a person and less of a sex object, that was still there but he seemed to be at least trying to put an effort towards doing things for her.

Six o'clock came quickly that day; Regina had Rose going all over damnation doing her bidding. When Rose finally sat down in Granny's Diner she was starving. Ruby seemed to be having a particularly daring day when she stepped up to their table and immediately began to poke Aston.

"Hi, Rose, do you want a burger with everything like last time? Or do you want a salad with nothing on it?" It was at the last part of the statement that she looked directly at Aston. He gave her a look of absolute fury.

"I'll have the chicken cesear wrap, Ruby and could I get a glass of water with it." Rose smiled at the waitress but it seemed as if Aston and Ruby were having a staring contest to see who the weaker person was. Rose finally coughed when Ruby neither responded to her order nor took her menu. With a roll of her eyes Ruby broke eye contact with Aston who quickly ordered.

"Steak, rare, with a baked potato all the fixings and a beer to drink." Aston handed the menu to Ruby who just stomped away to put their orders in. She could see that he was eyeing Ruby's attire again and it made Rose feel so angry. She kicked him hard enough to get his attention.

"Your wife is right here, look at me." He glared at her for a second before their drinks arrived and he flashed another glance at the scantily clad waitress. This elicited another kick under the table and another glare. They sat silently at the table looking at anything but each other. Rose fiddled with her wedding ring, just taking it off and putting it on. Yet again her brain flashed an image of Mr. Gold as she slipped the ring on her finger. A smile played across her face as she imagined the way he would look dressed casually. All he's been seen wearing are suits, nice suits, okay really nice expensive suits, but suits none the less. She silently wondered if the man owned a pair of jeans.

"Here is your nothing meal and your steak." The anger in Ruby's voice confused Rose. Why was she getting so angry at what she chose to eat? It's not like she asked for a single leaf of lettuce or anything; although the wrap did leave her hungry at the end of the meal and Rose stared longingly at the brownies piled high on display at the counter. Aston was still working on his steak by the time she'd finished her meal and Rose saw how truly disgusting it was to watch that man eat. He took huge bites of his food and constantly had juices run down the sides of his mouth and chin. At seeing this Rose's appetite is subsequently squelched. The jangle of the door announcing a new patron made Rose glance to see who it is.

Regina looked directly at the two of them and offers up a smile, from what Rose can see it doesn't extend to her eyes.

"Well, hello there, don't you two look all comfy cozy in that booth. You two look like newlyweds, so cute together." Off Regina sauntered towards her son, Henry, who was there when Aston and Rose arrived. Aston's attention is diverted to Regina as she walked away and this time Rose didn't kick him. She just quietly sighed and wished for the millionth time that he wouldn't so obviously leer at other women. She'd tried explaining it to him but inevitably it would be turned around to her being insecure and needy rather than focusing on the real problem.

"You are quiet this evening, I would have thought that you wouldn't be able to keep still knowing that you have a surprise coming this evening." She wiped a tear away and kept looking out the window of the car as they drove to this surprise.

"Rose, what is wrong? Is this one of those PMS moments or are you just trying to get some attention." Rose just snapped.

"Incredible, really, I'm obviously upset about something and you boil it down to hormones or neediness within fifteen seconds. Wow, are you really that dense? The way you were staring at Ruby and Regina this evening I could almost see them standing there naked, as hard as you were staring. For once I would like to be the focus of your attention and not just for sex. All we ever seem to do is spend time in different rooms unless you want sex and them I'm just supposed to put out without any thought to whether or not I want sex. No, it's always 'but honey I'm so horny, please'." The car veers towards the curb and stops just as suddenly.

Rose is out of the car as soon as it stopped prepared to walk home when Aston stepped in front of her blocking her path. He forcefully took her chin in his hand making her look at him.

"I earn the money in this marriage. I keep the bills paid in this marriage. I married you because your father begged me to. Now if I want sex from you quite frankly it's the least you could do to repay what I've spent to keep you in the lifestyle you're in." The cracking sound and the violent turning of his head were the first thing that Rose noticed. She'd smacked Aston, her now throbbing palm attested to that, and the look in his eyes when he turned back towards her made her blood run cold.

"You fucking BITCH." She could see his fist rising up and instinctively shut her eyes tightly waiting for the pain. Instead she heard another crack and felt his grip loosen on her chin. The thud on the ground was what made her open her eyes and they landed on a very angry Mr. Gold.

"Are you okay?" The concern in his voice was crystal clear. Rose took a second to take in her surroundings, she was literally next to Gold's house and Aston was unconscious on the ground in front of her. The wave of emotions hit and Rose could barely stifle the sob that rose in her throat. Gold took her by the shoulders and walked her into his opened front door and sat her down on his couch.

+Mr. Gold+

She was shaking so badly and the only thing that he could think to do was to rub her back. As soon as he touched her shoulder, though, she tensed and he pulled away immediately.

"I'm going to make some tea, that might help you calm down. I'll also call Sheriff Swan to come and arrest him." Gold so desperately wanted to turn him into a slug and squish him beneath his shoe. He'd been having a cup of tea when he heard a car door slam and went to his window to see him grab her chin and her smack him. He was already down his steps when he saw Aston begin to raise his fist to her. His instinct kicked in and he used the first weapon he had which was his cane.

He could see a bruise beginning to bloom on her once porcelain skin, when he brought the tea back and the rage pulsed through his veins. He picked up his phone to call the Sheriff when Rose found her voice.

"Please don't call the police. I don't want them to get involved."

"Dearie, he'll do this again, maybe even worse. He needs to know that he can't do this to you."

"I, I know, I just, please don't." She got up and walked out of his house. Aston was sitting on the curb and when she went to him Gold's heart broke all over again. Seeing her with someone like him set Gold's teeth on edge and he feared that he wouldn't be able to save her the next time and that the next time might kill her, literally or mentally.

He stood on his porch and watched the two of them. He couldn't quite hear what was being said but he could see the slug gesturing to the house next to his; the vacant house that Regina owned next to him. Gold was under no illusion that Regina wasn't somehow manipulating things to torture him. He watched the two walk into the house.

"Perfect, now I get to see firsthand his abuse and her lack of action to prevent it. Very clever Regina, very clever." Gold sat in one of the chairs on his porch staring at what he assumed would be his new neighbors. After twenty minutes Gold goes into his house and takes his now cooled tea and pours it down the drain. Sleep does not come easy as flashes of Rose's face keep appearing every time he closes his eyes. Gold doesn't want Regina to see that she was getting to him so instead of going to her and telling her to stop he just kept a very close eye on his Belle.

+Regina+

"That was fantastic." She was practically purring and she knew it. There was something about the taboo that made Regina crave it all the more. She looked over at the panting chest of her lover and she smirked slightly.

"So how is your Rose liking her new house?" Aston just looked at the ceiling and sighed.

"I thought that buying her a house would make things better between us but it hasn't. I don't know what to do anymore." Regina was getting sick of the girls insipid behavior, she was almost as bad as Snow was. She abruptly sat up and began putting her bra and shirt on.

"You need to make it work with her, okay? If you don't then you can kiss your lifestyle goodbye." The affair had started a month prior, just after Rose slapped Aston. She'd thought that the affair would make her feel something but just like with Graham before, it left her feeling empty. Regina knew that she would have a long night ahead as she weaved her work.

+Belle+

_Avonlea Castle_

_Belle had been told three months prior to the Ogre wars that she would be betrothed to a wealthy knight named Gaston. She'd hoped that like her father's arranged marriage to her mother that there would be a degree of similar interests and ideas. That was proving to be quite a farfetched hope. They sat in her sitting room with an attending sitting in an attached room, the door open to keep a degree of propriety. Up until then Gaston had been aloof and gentle but there was something that gave Belle pause that day. They'd spent the morning idly chatting and when Gaston had gone quiet Belle just picked up her darning and began working on one of her papa's socks._

_Gaston roughly pulled the sock out of her hands and tossed it into her basket at her feet. He then strode towards the door that separated her from her attendant, he gave her attendant a smirk and closed the door. He laid a rough kiss on Belle's lips and his hand found its way to her ankle. The feeling of his rough hand on her ankle was enough to make Belle gasp and it was that opening, literally, that Gaston took to plunge his tongue into her mouth. It almost made her gag and she fought the dueling sensations of his tongue and his hand going on. His hand did not stay at her ankle it was steadily making its way up to her calf and then to her knee. Belle tried to push him away but he used his strength to hold her close enough to him so that she couldn't get her hands between the two of them. _

_Gaston's hand made its way up to her hip, where thankfully Belle's corset prevented him from going any higher. With a rush of dread Belle could feel his hand start travelling towards her maidenhood. She tried to break the kiss but the more she tried to fight him the more he seemed to like it. A hard knock on the door was what finally stopped Gaston from doing anything else._

_"War room now Gaston." The two of them run to the room where Belle clutches one of her books she left in there from an earlier meeting, as if the book could protect her from another attack from Gaston._

_"Sir, there's news from the battlefield. Avonlea has fallen."_

_"My gods." Belle's heart breaks as she thinks of all the families that have been ripped apart and the hope they'd had that he'd arrive and save them. She could see the fight go out of her father as he sat down in his chair, his head in his hand._

_"If only he had come." Gaston's ability to state the obvious was never so abundantly clear as it was at that moment._

_"Well he didn't, did he? Ogres are not men."_

_"We have to do something. We have to stop them." Yet again his stunning observation skills showing through; Belle tries to hide the eye roll that threatens to happen._

_"They are unstoppable." Belle could see the utter desperation in her father's eyes and she did what she did best and tried to be optimistic._

_"He could be on his way right now Papa."_

_"It's too late, my girl. It's just too late" The banging on the door made her heart begin to pound. Up until that moment she'd only heard stories about the mysterious man. When they opened the door and saw nothing but the rubble of the castle her heart stopped. Hearing him from his father's seat startled her and the oaf Gaston's drawing of his sword angered her. Did Gaston really think that drawing a sword against the Dark One would help their cause? _

_"Ah… No. You see, um… I, uh, make gold. What I want is something a bit more special. My price…is her." Feeling Gaston bristle next to her just angers Belle and she yet again has to fight rolling her eyes._

_"The young lady is engaged….to me." Like he cares about that, is what Belle thought._

_"I'm not looking for 'love'. I need a caretaker for my rather large estate. It's her or no deal." Her father commanding him to leave frustrates Belle, she knows that women are treated like property but this was getting ridiculous. Especially the way Gaston shoved her aside just angered Belle all the more. She was no one's property._

_"No, wait. I will go with him." Belle had read about bravery and courage and she knew it was time to put into action what she'd always read about. Her father's and Gaston's outrage only bolstered her resolve._

_"No one decides my fate but me. I shall go."_

_"It's forever, dearie." She knew she had to be specific with her wording._

_"My family, my friends…they will all live?" _

_"You have my word."_

_"And you have mine; I will go with you… forever."_

_"Deal." He elicits a little giggle and was practically bouncing._

_Belle was relieved that she wouldn't have to put up with a lifetime of being forced to marry Gaston, waiting on Gaston and have sex with him, that thought alone made her shudder. It was only after she was in her 'room' that she had a moment of concern about what the Dark One would want from her. But she was relieved to find out that he was a merciful man who, she decided, was lonely and wanted company more than anything._

+Rose+

She awoke from the dream and shook her head. She'd been reading too many fairy tales. She seriously needed to read a historical document or something. Rose and Aston had been living in their new house for a month. The garden in the backyard of her new house was her favorite place. It was filled with lush flowers and trees. She sat on the back deck and sipped her coffee relishing the coolness that promised that fall was almost upon them. The sun had been up for a few minutes when she saw him mimicking her. Gold sat on his back porch with, she assumed, a cup of tea. She took surreptitious glances at her new neighbor. Her heart pounded when she realized that he was the Dark One from her dream.

"If I start spouting that my family and friends are in my dreams then I might as well get a dog and name it Toto." Rose quietly mumbled to herself.

"Morning, neighbor." She smiled and waved at him. He just nodded and raised his cup towards her. They sit in silence for another twenty minutes before Rose goes into her house and ready's herself for work. She dreaded work, she couldn't put her finger on why but there was just something that made her dislike Regina and she seemed even more vindictive than usual. Despite being in the house full time for a little over three weeks Rose felt like she rarely saw the man. Her world revolved around getting the house in order and cleaned, she'd taken a full week off to get everything moved out of their apartment and both places cleaned thoroughly. Gold's walkthrough of their apartment happened when Rose was already at work and when she asked Aston about it he was cryptic about what really transpired.

What had really surprised Rose, besides the house, was Aston's fervent desire for her to quit working and be a stay at home wife.

"I like the idea of you being a kept woman. The only reason you initially took the job was because we were saving for a house."

"I like having a job, I like having a purpose in the mornings. I feel as if I am contributing to this family."

"You have a purpose, me. Look, Rose, I've already made up my mind and fight it all you like but eventually you will cave and become a homemaker." That was the end of that conversation, with little variation in the others. He just didn't understand her desire to be more than a pretty face. She didn't want to be like Belle was in the Disney story, just a pretty face to hang on the arm of Gaston. She wanted her own life. Okay, she was now siding with Disney characters; she really needed to branch out her reading.

With a shake of her head Rose walked into the town hall readying herself for a full day of running around for Regina. Aston had some early morning meeting that he had to get to, which was quite fine for her. He was almost constantly getting on her nerves. She felt the occasional twinge of making things work with him but inevitably he would say or do something that would just reinforce her desire to end the marriage. She hoped that the lunch today with her father would help Rose figure things out a little better. Before she knew it, Rose was sitting in Granny's Diner watching for her father.

The bell over the door chimed and in walked Mr. Gold. He subtly cased the restaurant pausing longer on her than anyone else, before he went and took a seat at the counter. Rose looked at her watch and sighed, her father was forty-five minutes late for their lunch. Rose had always assumed that the man was just forgetful whenever it came to her but this was different. She'd called him ten minutes prior to her leaving the office to make sure nothing had come up and that he would be able to make it to lunch. He had assured her that he would be there with bells on. With a frustrated sigh Rose put a ten dollar bill under her mug of coffee and walked out the diner.

**AN: First off the song I put in here I found perfectly describes Gold/Rumple's feelings towards Belle. There is a video on youtube with the song: **

** watch?v=zkeo25-973Y, just thought you all might enjoy it.**

**Secondly, I have found a website that has transcriptions of the episodes, for those writers who like to use scenes that were in the show:**

** , it helped me out to be able set the scene as best as I could. I hope you all are enjoying the story so far. Please feel free to review or comment.**


	4. Chapter 4

+Rose+

Her day doesn't get better after her failed lunch date with her father. Regina seemed to be in a royally bad mood and was taking it out on her. Once she'd gotten home that evening and had put dinner in the oven she wandered into her backyard inhaling the earthy smells. She hoped that Aston would work late that evening so she could have a peaceful bath and head to bed without the predictable sex request. It's not like she never initiated or didn't enjoy that time with him. It's just, when Rose was honest with herself, there was more that she knew was a part of sex that she couldn't express to Aston. She'd tried a few times to show him some things that would make her more excited but he just got huffy and annoyed that she would have to show him.

"You look lost in your thoughts there dearie, hard day at work?" She jumped at the sudden voice, although she was happy hearing it.

"Just a very, very long day. How was your day, Mr. Gold?" He just slightly lifted his shoulder and dropped it. Rose just smiled at him and walked closer to him. The way he looked at her made Rose feel as if she was the only person in Storybrooke, he just had a way of making her feel like the center of his world. The two stood and amicably chatted for twenty minutes until Rose excused herself to check on the roast she'd made. Once she saw that it had at a half hour she checked her phone for any message from either her father or Aston. There was one from Aston saying that he would be incredibly late and to not wait up for him. She took it as a good sign and on a whim walked back out to her backyard and saw Mr. Gold still standing in his.

"Aston won't be home until late this evening, I've made a roast would you like to join me for dinner, Mr. Gold?" She couldn't decide if the look that flashed across his face was one of shock, happiness, fear or a mixture of all three.

"I don't want to put you out Rose."

"This house is huge and lonesome; you would be doing me a favor." Rose smiled at Mr. Gold who seemed about to flee into his house but he instead pivoted towards her and made his way into her kitchen. Rose led Gold over to a chair at the counter, he however made his way to the sink and after leaning his cane against the counter, he began to wash the potatoes.

"Do you have a peeler? I can peel them once I'm done."

"They don't need peeling, but thanks. It's nice having help in the kitchen." Rose bit her lip and stifled the question she'd wanted to ask Gold for a while.

"I can see you want to say something, out with it Dearie."

"Well, it's just, I've never heard anyone call you anything but Mr. Gold, do you even have a first name." His silence made Rose want to quickly try and redact the question but just as she was opening her mouth to do just that, he spoke.

"Vincent" Her smile is so wide that Rose knows she probably looked crazy at that moment. Rose and Gold spend the rest of their time chatting about their favorite books. It was a thrilling discussion that made Rose think and Gold did a good job at challenging her views in a non-confrontational manner. She was able to elicit a couple of laughs and more than a few smiles. Usually those smiles were whenever she caught him looking at her. Long after dinner and after the two neighbors said their goodnights Rose was in bed. She couldn't help but think about how easy the conversation was between her and Vincent. They'd discussed something other than who owes what to the government and what Regina wanted to do with the tax money. Aston didn't seem to believe that they should have any semblance of interesting conversations. He was content to keep things physical and then disappear into their own little worlds.

The opening of the front door sends a sigh through Rose, she'd promised herself that she would try and make the relationship work so why not now.

"Hi, honey. How was your day?" She gave Aston a small smile as she followed him into the kitchen. She put his plate of food into the microwave and waited for it to ding.

"This is a pleasant surprise; usually you don't ask me about my day." She just shrugged and grabbed the needed cutlery and his plate. She leaned against the counter and waited for him to talk but instead he grabbed his plate and walked towards the living room.

"There's a football game I want to catch the last quarter of, thanks for dinner." Rose just sighed and took her tea upstairs. His yelling at the screen was loud enough that Rose could not fall asleep and when he finally came to bed at three in the morning Rose had a splitting headache. Aston fell asleep almost instantly and his snoring was so loud that Rose just grabbed her pillows and a blanket from the blanket chest and went downstairs to the couch.

The pattern of no communication continues on for another month, with either Rose wanting to talk or Aston wanting to talk but it never seemed to coincide with the other one really being able to interact. Aston has spent more and more time at the office, supposedly from what he told Rose, it was because Regina was trying to make sure she had the money available for some playground she wanted to build. Rose just relished her time alone, as much as she felt guilty for enjoying it, she still enjoyed it nonetheless.

+Regina+

"Okay, Aston, you can go. I think we're as far as we're going to get on this. I think I am ready to get the deed for the land and a plan drawn up. After I get some bids for the building of the playground we can meet again to double and triple check the budget." He just gave her a tired smile, gathered his papers and placed them into the folder. Once he was gone Regina got on her phone, she hoped that her plan would work out and that Rose would stop flirting and giving Gold hope that she would remember him, or worst of all, go back to him.

"He just left, just wait about ten minutes and then do what you need to do…..Look, I don't care what you do to the woman, just don't kill her…..We discussed the price last time…5,000…..I'll wire it directly into your account…..Okay." This time Regina's smile finally made it to her eyes as she thought about crushing Gold once and for all.

+Gold+

He'd just finished cleaning his tea cups and the teapot, and placed them on the drying towel next to the sink. A smile kept creeping its way onto his face as he thought about Rose. She seemed to want a divorce from Aston more and more. He knew that he shouldn't just assume that she would run willingly into his arms and be his forever, but if she was single it would make his ability to try and woo her a tad easier.

As Gold was walking towards his stairs to bathe and head to bed he saw headlights flash in the front window, Aston was home. He was half way up the stairs when he heard a soft bang. Apparently Aston must be drunk, the oaf got clumsy when he drank. When he got upstairs and after he turned on the water for a nice hot bath, it helped to ease the pain in his knee, Gold wandered to the window overlooking the front of his house. The strange car in Rose's driveway gave him little pause as he finally turned and began taking his clothes off for the steaming hot bath.

+Rose+

She was upstairs staring out at the backyard thinking about gardening when she heard the front door open and shut loudly. She shrugged it off as Aston being in a bad mood and walked towards the bedroom door to let him know about the food in the microwave.

"Hey, Aston, there's-" That was all she was able to get out before the figure that she knew instantly as not Aston appeared before her. Her heart seized and she gripped the doorknob and tried to slam the door. The figure just easily stopped the door's progress and slammed it back open. She turned to go to the connected bathroom but he had her arm in his vice like grip causing her to yelp. He threw her towards the bed. With a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach she realized what he was going to do.

The look in the guy's eyes was one of absolute hatred. He had picked her up when she tried to dash around him and threw her on the bed. Rose heard her wrist actually snap when she landed on the bed. Her vision went white with pain. It came back into sharp focus when the man took her wrists and tied them above her to the bed. She still had use of her legs and kept kicking at the man, all the while she screamed. It was when he brought the knife out that Rose's voice caught in her throat.

"Now, that's about right, silence is golden there girlie." He was now straddling her on the bed with the knife being held right above her breast. Her vision dimmed at the feeling of the knife easing into her chest. He seemed to revel in seeing the blood start flowing. Rose started blacking out from the pain, especially when he decided to move down to her stomach and began poking her there.

She felt as if she was floating, there had been a cracking sound and a heavy weight, and now she felt as if she was floating off towards heaven.

+Mr. Gold+

He had just gotten comfortable in the tub when a nagging feeling began for Gold. He couldn't put his finger on it and as his brain began to wander it landed on Regina. He began to contemplate what she might be planning when it hit him hard. The strange car, it belonged to her Dark Knight, Regina's prized knight. The one that would do whatever she wanted, no matter how heinous or deadly. With a spryness that he hasn't known since he'd become the Dark One, Gold leapt out of the tub and quickly dressed, donning sleeping pants and an undershirt.

Her door was unlocked, which Gold thanked the gods for, and he slipped in as quietly as he could. The lights downstairs were off and the shadow casted on the stairwell led Gold upstairs. He could see the man's back and saw the glint of a blade. She was silent. His Belle was silent. Gold moved silently into the room and with viciousness he'd only known once prior, Gold cracked the henchman over the head with his cane. The henchman collapsed on top of his Belle. She was still silent. He shoved the unconscious man off of his Belle and picked her up.

He had just gotten outside when Aston pulled up. The oaf was bleary eyed and smelled as if he'd rolled in alcohol. Gold's bad knee was shaking with the stress he'd put on it, and as gently as he could manage Gold laid his Belle down on the grass. Aston just stood there. Gold pulled out his cell phone and called 911.

"911, what is your emergency?"

"I need you to get an ambulance to 758 Spinner Court, there's been a stabbing." The rest of the conversation was a blur as Gold relayed information to the operator. It felt like an eternity before the ambulance could be heard and another eternity for it to finally be seen. Right behind the ambulance Gold could see a sheriff's car. Aston finally began to react as soon as he heard the ambulance; he dropped onto his knees next to Rose and vomited. Swan ran past the group and into the house to arrest the henchman. When Gold saw the man in handcuffs being led to the waiting police car, it was all he could do not to kill the man where he stood.

+Emma Swan+

"Okay, thank you Aston. If you would like I can take you to the hospital so you can be near your wife." The man just nodded his head and sat on the curb staring at the ambulance, the paramedics were assessing Rose. Gold was hovering over her and it was creeping out Emma. When the paramedics finally were able to get Rose into the ambulance and leave for the hospital, Gold's legs gave out. She'd been trying to get his story but he just wouldn't answer her. He kept dodging around her to be near Rose.

"Look, Gold, I don't know what the hell is going on between the two of you but I need you to focus on me right now." He'd then collapsed into a seated position on the grass and with a sigh Emma knelt down beside him.

"I know she means a lot to you, I'm not sure why or that I want to know why, but the faster you can tell me what the hell happened here the faster I can throw that scum into jail." She offered a small smile to the man and he finally told his side of the story. Emma pulled out her phone and dialed Mary Margaret's number.

"Hi, Emma, what's up?" Emma explained the situation, asking for help. "Sure, Emma, I'll take Aston and…Gold to the hospital." She could hear the curiosity in Mary Margaret's voice at Gold wanting to go to the hospital as well.

Emma had to admit that as she was taking down the notes from Gold, he looked so fragile and utterly broken as he sat there. He wasn't the same man that she'd had difficult, that was putting it lightly, interactions with prior; he was a man that was not in control. It came as a shock when Emma finally realized that Gold loved Rose. She didn't know whether to be angry with the man or to pity the man.

Mary Margaret arrived and put the two men into her SUV and looked at Emma with a look of compassion. Emma then got back into her patrol car and drove the hulking mass in her backseat to the sheriff's station and put him into the only unoccupied cell, the other one was being used by a very drunk Leroy. She then began to type up the incident report, listening to Leroy's whistling.

+Gold+

Gold, Aston and Mary Margaret were seated in the waiting room for Dr. Whale to come and speak with them about Rose's progress. Gold said a silent statement that if anything happened to his Belle he would not stop until everyone attached to this incident was dead. It was three hours until Whale came out to speak to them.

"She's going to be okay, the wounds were not deep. There are a lot of wounds though and we've put Mrs. Knighton into a medically induced coma to help facilitate her recovery. We also did some minor exploratory surgery to make sure that none of her internal organs were nicked. We can allow you, Mr. Knighton, into her room to see her if you would like. Unfortunately until she is out of the coma we cannot allow nonfamily members to see her." The doctor and Aston stood and walked towards a set of double doors that led to his Belle.

It took a second to feel the small soft hand on Gold's arm and when he looked at its owner Mary Margaret had unshed tears in her eyes.

"How are you holding up Mr. Gold?" His voice was too thick for him to speak so he just lifted his shoulders slightly and looked back at his shaking hands.

"I know we haven't really had any reactions but I can see the look in your eyes and I know that look well. You love her, don't you?" The straightforwardness of the question surprised Gold and he looked into the girl's eyes and could see nothing but compassion reflected in them. Again, he couldn't speak so he just looked at the double doors.

"I take it by that reaction, that either you haven't admitted it to yourself or to her. No matter what happens, Gold, you need to let her know. Let's just say I have experience with that." She squeezed his arm and withdrew her hand. At some point Mary Margaret left as well as Aston, but Gold just sat. He sat until the sun rose and set and rose again. He sat long past his stomach gave up growling and hurting for food. He sat long after sleep had tried to claim him, the only realization that he'd dropped off was the appearance of a pillow and blanket upon waking. It was on the fourth day that Whale finally sat down next to him.

"I'm not supposed to do this Gold. It's past visitor's hours and you aren't family." Whale stood and looked at Gold, who slowly found his feet and stood. The two men silently walked through the doors and they took a left. She was in a room alone and she was hooked up like a Christmas tree. Gold's heart constricted and he let out a small gasp.

She looked so fragile and small lying there. The steady beeping of the heart monitor calmed him somewhat and Gold gave a brief glance at Whale and walked to her side. The doctor was nice enough to give him a few minutes alone with his Belle.

"Belle, I am so sorry this happened to you. I, I should have watched over you far better than I had. I will always love you, Belle, always. " He couldn't deny himself anymore and he leaned down and kissed her on the lips. They were as soft as he'd remembered.

**AN: I am sorry it has taken me a few days to post this chapter. I have just started a new job and I've also gone through a few different versions of this chapter. I hope you all have a Happy Halloween.**


	5. Chapter 5

+Gold+

He didn't know what he'd expected when he kissed Rose, she would wake up and remember, or just wake up. The heart monitor just kept up its steady beeping and the breathing machine just kept pumping more air into her lungs. Anger raged through him, not that the kiss didn't wake Rose up, rather that he had an idea of who was behind Rose being attacked. If he played this right she would be getting ready to leave work so Gold knew he had to move quickly.

He saw her car parked at Town Hall and he quickly went up to her office. He paused only briefly to look at the desk that she should be sitting at. He then quietly slipped into her office, she wasn't in the office but her purse was still on the table so Gold just stood behind the door. He could hear her heels on the marble floor as she made her way back to the office. She had a handful of papers and was avidly looking at one as she entered her office, completely oblivious to him standing there.

"You should be better aware of your surroundings, Dearie." She jumped at his voice and spun around hand at her chest.

"Gold, I'm not in the mood to make a deal with you tonight." He just glared at her and her smirk disappeared quickly.

"Sit please." He could see the annoyance cross her face at the request but she did comply. Gold slipped into the chair across from her and just stared at her until she looked away. He was trying to calm himself down enough to actually speak instead of taking his cane and doing some physical harm to the woman.

"I recently saw your Dark Knight." Regina opened her mouth to speak but Gold got there before she could utter anything but a syllable.

"Don't speak please, listen please." Her mouth slammed shut and her eyes were locked onto his. The fury behind them was obvious.

"Here's how things are going to change for you, Dearie, one you will pay all of Rose's medical bills, please. Two you will convince your Knight, within the week, to confess to everything and not fight any allegations against him, please. Three you will leave Rose alone, please." Gold stood up to leave and almost as an afterthought, even though it was anything but, he tossed out one more statement that left Regina thoroughly angry.

"One last thing you will let Henry spend as much time with Emma as he, and she, wants please dearie." He couldn't hide the smirk with that one. That little boy would help Swan break this curse in a flash they just needed more time together. He finally went home after a week of not being there, except to change out of his bloody clothes and into something clean, Gold arrived home and made himself a strong cup of tea. He sat in his favorite chair and sipped at the tea.

+Rose+

She felt as if she was coming out of being submerged in sludge, her body felt sluggish, it was painful to move. There were doctors all around her asking her the same questions over and over, what her name was and what day was it and more of the same. After a half an hour of those questions they finally left and left Rose and Aston alone in the private room. He looked horrible, his hair was unkempt and his clothes weren't pressed like they usually were. It looked like to Rose that he'd been crying and was very pale.

"Aston are you okay, you look like death warmed over." He just looked up at her with bloodshot eyes.

"I, I need to confess something that's been eating away at me for a while." Rose's body tensed up sending another spasm of pain through her.

"I, it was, um," Aston stood up and ran his hand roughly through his hair and began to stare out the window. "You've been in a coma for week and I've had some time to think about some things. I've been having an affair with Regina for the past six months. I should have been there. I had stopped at the bar for a drink. I should have been there. I am so incredibly sorry that I wasn't there to protect you."

That was it, Aston had moved into Granny's Inn while Rose was in the coma and when he left her alone that afternoon they had decided to keep it that way. Rose was sad but she was grateful that their relationship issues had finally come to a head and they could now move on with their lives. It was only after he'd left that Rose noticed two different vases of flowers, one of roses and one of lilies, there was no note on either of them. It was later that evening when Rose sat trying to eat what the hospital called food that she had another visitor.

"Mrs. Knighton? I'm Emma Swan, I'm the sheriff. I wanted to see if you felt up for talking to me about what happened to you?" She'd seen Emma around town but this was the first time the two ladies actually spoke to one another. Rose liked her straightforwardness. Emma glanced over the food on the table before Rose and grimaced.

"I've seen better looking food than that in the trash." Emma offered her up a small smile as she sat at the only chair and pulled a small notebook out of her jacket. Rose just laughed and then gasped at the pain, which caused Emma to frown slightly at making her hurt. Rose smiled at the pretty blonde and began talking.

"I was upstairs getting changed after work and I thought I heard Aston come in the door so I went to the top of the stairs to let him know about dinner being in the microwave. I saw a huge man coming up the stairs and I tried to slam the bedroom door on him but he caught it and pushed it open. I tried to run to my bathroom but he grabbed my arm and threw me towards the bed, I thought, I, uh, thought he was…" Rose's voice broke at that point and the tears came. She brought her arm not in a cast up and tried to dry her face but the IV's were making that difficult. That and the tears didn't stop at just a few; Emma at some point began rubbing her back. After a while Rose was able to stop crying and was handed a wad of tissues to wipe her face off. With a deep breath and a look at Emma, who nodded and gave a small reassuring smile, Rose continued.

"I thought he would rape me, he just picked me up and dropped me on the bed breaking my wrist. I kept pushing at him trying to get him off but he just grabbed my wrists and tied them to the headboard. I started kicking him at that point but once I saw the knife I stilled. He began poking me with the knife. I passed out at some point and, and then it felt like I was floating. There was a weight and then I was floating. That's all that I remember." Emma gave Rose a look of compassion and closed her notebook.

"We arrested the man that did this; he was just coming to in your bedroom. I'm going to let you get some rest. I'm glad to see you are doing so well, Mrs. Knighton."

"Please call me Rose." The sheriff turned and looked at her and then left. Her name had never sounded so strange on her tongue. She tried to figure out why she didn't trust her name that was until she had another unexpected visitor.

"Papa, what are you doing here?" Moe looked just as haggard as Aston did, and upon seeing her he let a few tears slide down his face. He rushed over to her and pulled her into a tight painful hug.

"My flower, I am so glad to see you awake. I love you sweetheart." The two sat and chatted for a few minutes when the inevitable was brought up.

"I was surprised to not see your husband here." Rose's eyes flitted down to the blanket on the bed; she started picking invisible lint off of it.

"We, we're separated, papa. He was cheating on me." Cautiously Rose looked at her father and saw anger in his eyes.

"You two can work this out." Rose was shaking her head at him as he got angrier.

"No papa we can't. I will not be married to a cheater." Moe stood up and Rose could see him clenching his fists.

"You two can work this out Rose; he was honest with you and told you about it." When she just shook her head again Moe just sighed with frustration and left the room. The tears came again after he'd left. Moe had always pushed for Rose to stay with Aston and no matter how many times she'd told him that she wasn't happy he just seemed to gloss over that. Instead of dwelling on her short conversation with her father, Rose looked back at the flowers that were sitting in the window.

She spent the following few days developing a pattern, she would be awoken by the doctor at around six, afterward she would be encouraged to walk, which she would do a couple of laps around the ward. She would then rest until her lunch came, appealing as ever, then after her lunch she would lap the ward again. It was slow going and Rose felt ridiculous at how slow she was hobbling along but the nurses were nothing but encouraging. It was on her first lap one morning that she got a nice surprise.

"What a wonderful sight to see you up and moving, Dearie." The Scottish brogue made Rose smile and she turned towards the source of the voice. Vincent was standing in the doorway with an undeniable smile gracing his lips. She knew that she had the same expression on her face as he gently put his hand on her lower back and they began walking the ward.

"Vincent, what a happy surprise! I heard that you were the one who knocked out the goon who attacked me. I wanted to say thank you but that's not enough. You saved my life and I owe you so much more than a paltry thank you." Considering that she had one arm in a cast and the other hooked up to an IV the hug was more a gentle squeeze than the bear hug she'd originally planned on. When she pulled away Rose could see the look of longing in his eyes. This surprised her, to say the least. It was a look that usually made Rose uncomfortable, usually it was in the form of leering, but Vincent's look had more love in it than Rose thought possible.

The two quietly finished their walk, neither in the mood to speak, rather content with just being in each other's company. Once they got back to the room and Rose had gotten settled in bed Vincent made his way towards the door to leave.

"Please don't leave; I miss our afternoon garden tea and chat." She patted the foot of her bed and she could tell Vincent was contemplating sitting there but he took the chair next to her bed instead. The two spend a good four hours alternating between chatting and silently, but comfortably, sitting. As Vincent stood to leave when Rose was hit with a sudden wave of tears, she hadn't cried since Sheriff Swan had visited a couple of days earlier.

+Gold+

He heard the slight sniff and when he turned at the doorway he could see Rose's face lowered into her hands. He was torn between leaving Rose to grieve or to stay and try to comfort her. Gold's desire to be near her won over any doubts he had and he settled on the bed by her hip and gently took her into his arms as her sobs grew. He gently rubbed her back and head as her tears kept falling. His throat was thick with emotions at hearing her wrenching sobs. She cried for about a half an hour before she finally became quiet.

He gently squeezed her shoulders and she pulled her head up from his wet shoulder.

"I am so sorry; I don't know what came over me." She gave him a small smile and gently touched the wet spot on his shirt. He placed his hand over hers and held it in place.

"You've had something very bad happen; I would be more surprised to have you not cry at some point." She just looked into his eyes and he was lost in a sea of blue. He abruptly stood up and stumbled over an apology.

"I, um, I need to get some work done at my shop and I should be going. I hope to see you soon Dearie." She smiled but he could tell that she was confused by his sudden desire to leave. He'd been so close to doing something, kissing her or confessing, and he couldn't do either yet. Gold does end up going to his shop, but not for work. He slipped into the back and took out of the hidden safe two items. One was Baelfire's shawl and the other was Belle's teacup. He sat in the back on his spinning wheels stool and just held the two items.

For the first time in a very long time Gold began to cry. Gold cried for all that he'd missed. He'd missed Bae growing up and becoming a man. He'd missed his opportunity with Belle, and he might never be able to change that with Rose. His heart sank at the thought of the curse breaking and his Belle not wanting anything to do with him.

+Rose+

It had been a week since she'd been released from the hospital, Aston was nice enough to help her get home and make sure that she was okay. Since his confession to her Aston had been more caring and considerate. They'd discussed it the first night she was back at home, the possibility for their marriage to be saved. It had surprised Rose that Aston did not want to stay married.

"I've thought a lot about that in the two weeks you were in the hospital and I, I, I" Rose could see the conflict playing across his face and she took his hand and gently squeezed it. He looked at her and she could see a look of relief mixed with fear.

"I agree, Aston, neither one of us has been happy for a long time. I don't want to maintain the status quo just because." They spent the rest of the evening discussing the dissolution of their marriage. They agreed that Aston would keep the house and Rose would move out within a week. She would spend her time that week finding a place and packing her meager things to prepare for the move. Instead of staying in the house that night, she couldn't bear to be in the house she was attacked in; Rose went to Granny's Inn and got a room for the week. It was as she was dropped off to sleep that Rose realized how much she would miss having her backyard chats with Vincent.

Over the week Rose was surprised at how easy she and Aston were taking their impending divorce. She'd slept better than she'd ever had and he seemed to be getting over his guilt and by the look of him had stopped drinking. The only downside to her ending marriage was that her father wouldn't accept it. She'd stopped by his shop a few days after her release from the hospital and it quickly led to a fight.

"Rose, he's a decent guy who you've shared a life with. Do you think marriage is just a walk in a park and that there would be no hard times?" Rose just sighed and shook her head.

"Papa, I know that marriages take work and Aston and I did work on it. We are two different people from who we used to be and I am not willing to get sadder and sadder staying married to someone who feels the same way." He just growled angrily and stomped to the back of his shop. Rose followed him; she would not let him walk away from a discussion that had to happen.

"I know you want me to stay married to Aston, and that you pushed for me to marry him when I doubted the marriage. Papa, please understand that we've spent the past few days discussing only this." Moe just sighed and shook his head. He then proceeded to ignore her despite her multiple attempts at getting him to speak to her. After fifteen minutes of silence from her father Rose sighed and left his shop.

Regina had given her the week to slowly ease back into daily life before Rose would have to go back to work. It was a thought that filled her with dread. Rose didn't want to work for the woman who had an affair with her then husband. A woman who knew they were married and had even pushed Rose to try and make it work. As she sat at the Diner sipping a cup of coffee Rose thought about what else she could do. It was too bad that the library was closed and boarded up that would have been a dream job for her. The chime over the door dragged her attention away from the mug and she saw a friendly pair of brown eyes looking at her.

A smile finally crossed her lips as Vincent slipped into the booth seat across from her.

"It's great to see you out of the hospital and moving around." His smile was not as broad as hers but it was still there. Rose could see a genuine look of affection flash in his eyes and she felt her stomach flip. Thankfully Ruby decided to make her appearance at the booth. Vincent ordered a coffee as well and Ruby was quick to deliver the mug.

"You look lost, Dearie, anything you want to talk about." Rose didn't mean to say anything, she'd fully intended to just say everything was fine, but as soon as she opened her mouth everything came out. Her and Aston's divorce, her fight with her father, and her thoughts of quitting her job with Regina. He sat patiently listening only occasionally touching her hand as a way of encouragement to continue. The two sat long after their coffee had gone cold. The sun had begun to dip towards the horizon before the two finally stood up and left the Diner. Rose turned towards the Inn and almost as if she was on autopilot she wrapped her good arm around Vincent. He stiffened for a second but relaxed and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Thank you for listening to my ramblings. I didn't know how much I needed to talk to someone." He squeezed her shoulders and gave her a look of compassion.

+Mary Margaret+

It was late evening when there was a knock on her door. Mary Margaret set her hot chocolate down and went to the door. She'd hoped it would be David but her heart stopped at the sight of him.

"Mr. Gold, what are you doing here so late?"

"May I come in; I need to speak with you about something." She reluctantly let him in and guided him to her table. She offered him something to drink but he declined and immediately began his proposition.

"I understand that you need a librarian at your school. I have it on good authority that Miss Rose French is looking for a new job."

"Rose French, I thought she was married to Aston." The rest of her question died on her lips as the look of anger flashed across Gold's face.

"I will speak with the principal about interviewing her but that's all I can do." He seemed to want more from her but resigned himself to her agreement.

"Wait, you always want something out of any arrangements what do you want out of this one." He stood at the door for a second before he finally looked at her.

"Let's just say, I have my reasons and for the moment Miss Blanchard they only involve you trying to get her a job." He turned and opened the door and walked out of her apartment. Mary Margaret just stood for a second staring at the space he had occupied and thought about what possibly he might want in the future.

The next day, a Thursday, Mary Margaret walked into her school with the mindset to at least speak with Rose and see if she wanted to have a job at the library. She made a quick call once she was in her classroom and was surprised at the rapidness of the answering. She explained that she'd heard about the possibility of her wanting a job at the library and the two women made a plan to meet at lunch to talk. She was already seated at a table in the window.

"Hi, Rose, I'm Mary Margaret. I'm sorry it's taken us so long to actually meet each other. I saw you while you were in a coma and I'm so glad that you are out and about after what happened." The woman across from her gave a small smile and motioned for Mary Margaret to sit.

"Thank you for meeting with me Miss Blanchard. I'm wondering how you heard about my wanting to get a new job."

"Please call me Mary Margaret, I actually got a visit from Mr. Gold who told me that you were on the market and had wished that the library was open. He remembered that I worked at a school and came by and asked if we needed someone. It just so happens that we do need someone." Rose flashed a relieved smile and the two chatted about their favorite books and authors as they sat and ate. By the end of the lunch Mary Margaret was convinced that Rose would be an asset to the library. She was sure the kids would love her as well.

At the end of the school day she went and spoke with the Principal about Rose and was happy to learn that he would interview her.

+Rose+

She was so excited. Her lunch with Mary Margaret had led to an interview to be the elementary school librarian. It had been a long held desire of hers. She had an interview set up the next day with the Principal. That night at the Inn Rose went over her wardrobe and tossed out all the clothes that Aston would want her to wear. It left her with few clothes but she was finally able to pull together a nice outfit that wasn't hampered by the cast on her arm.

She made her way past the front door of his shop and she could barely contain her excitement. She'd gotten the job and it was all because of him.

"Well, Rose, what a pleasant surprise what brings you to my shop?" She practically hopped over to him in her glee and wrapped him in a warm hug. He never stiffened and instead slowly wrapped his arms around her. The look of desire in his eyes as she pulled back was unmistakable.

"I heard it from a little birdie that you spoke with Mary Margaret about her school needing a librarian. I got the job and I wanted to thank you. How would you like to go out to dinner with me to celebrate, tonight?" A look mixed with anticipation and dread crossed his face and Rose felt instantly that she'd over stepped her bounds.

"I would love to but, uh, the people in this town don't necessarily like me all that much. How about instead you come over to my house and I will make us a celebratory dinner." Rose mulled the idea around in her head for a second before she decided to just stop over thinking things and she nodded.

"Excellent, come by around eight and we will have a nice feast in honor of your new job." She squeezed him again and practically skipped out of his shop. Her only hesitance was once she was on the side walk and realized that she would have to tell Regina she quit. Taking the courage she could muster Rose went to Regina's office.

"Ah, Mrs. Knighton what a surprise, you aren't supposed to return to work until Monday."

"Two things, Regina, one it's Ms. French from now on, and two, I quit. Aston told me about your affair and quite honestly I can't stomach the idea of working for you again." The outraged look on Regina's face was priceless. She narrowed her eyes at Rose and spoke quietly.

"I will see to it that you will not be able to get another job in this town. You can't just leave without any notice."

"Was I granted any notice when you began having an affair with Aston? No, I wasn't so I feel quite comfortable leaving you without notice." Rose then turned on her heel and left the Mayor's office.

**AN: I just wanted to thank those few of you who have followed my story as well as Stargate533 who commented. I also wanted to let you know that I am in the process of starting a new job and moving so I will keep writing but my story updates are going to be more spaced out but have no fear that I will finish this story and I will keep you all updated as best as I can. Happy Halloween to all.**


	6. Chapter 6

+Gold+

He was nervous. He was hardly ever nervous. Gold stood in his kitchen and everything that could go wrong was. It seemed as if fate was mocking him. All he could do was try and mitigate the damage that had already passed. The steaks he'd put on the grill had burnt, even though he was hovering over them, the baked potatoes were undercooked and he'd forgotten to get a dessert. The only thing he had right that evening was the wine he'd picked, that was until he went to pull the cork out and it had practically disintegrated as he pulled it out. He was seated at the dining table and trying to figure out what to do when there was a knock on his door. Gold got up, almost hesitantly, and answered the door. Rose looked beautiful. She took his breath away for an instant when she smiled at him.

"Vincent, you look upset. Is everything okay?" He just stepped aside and let her in. He could see her nose scrunch up at the appalling smells that were attacking her.

"Um, dinner smells…interesting."

"By interesting do you mean horrible, dearie." Her smile was apologetic and he felt better, marginally better.

"I'd planned on steaks and baked potatoes with a nice salad, but now that I think about it that sounds clichéd. Unfortunately, the steaks are burnt and the potatoes are just the opposite. I couldn't even get the dressing right, it's all runny. Don't even begin with the dessert either. I'll have to buy the market and fire the dessert maker." Rose just laughed and walked into his kitchen. Gold just stood in the doorway and watched as she took in the disaster.

It took him by surprise when Rose just began pulling items out of his pantries and fridge. As if she knew he was about to ask what she was doing she just turned towards him.

"I wanted to say thank you for helping me get that library job, so please let me make something for us. I have always loved to cook. It looks like you have the ingredients for chicken enchiladas, so sit and watch a master in the kitchen." He just sat spell bound by the ease at which she moved in his kitchen. Gold could hear her humming as she set the enchiladas in the oven to cook and stirred the sauce. She moved with a grace that only entranced him. She was efficient in her cooking, cleaning as she went leaving his kitchen spotless. As if under a spell he quietly moved towards her and took her hand in his and began to dance with her. She gave him a surprised look but easily settled into their slow turns in the kitchen.

He could have died a minute later; she laid her head on his shoulder. They danced that way for far too short a time, as far as Gold was concerned. Rose had broken away from him with an odd mixture of emotions that Gold couldn't readily read to stir the sauce and check on the enchiladas.

"They should be ready in a few minutes." That was all she said and Gold quietly accepted that she would not find her way back into his arms. He set the table. His emotions were all over the place, he was still on a high with the feeling of her head on his shoulder but he was sad and frustrated that he couldn't tell her who he was, and she was. If he was honest with himself he was terrified that if he did she would leave him, he couldn't take that again.

The two sat and had a very nice easy dinner trading banter and making each other laugh at their quips. Gold just felt as if they'd never left the dark castle, he'd half expected to see a fireplace to their left raging away. Instead all he saw was a wall full of knickknacks. He could tell that Rose was trying to build up the courage to say something to him and his heart seized at the thought of what it might be. With one final sip of her wine she turned her blue eyes towards him.

"I, um, I just wanted to say thank you for saving me. Aston told me that it was you who knocked out the, the, uh…. Anyway, thank you for that. Wow, that sounds so small for saving my life. I cannot begin to express how much having you in my life has changed it for the better." A tear slipped down her cheek and Gold gently wiped it away with his thumb leaving his hand cupping her jaw. He could see by the dilation of her pupils that she liked his touch. Feeling daring Gold leaned forward and he kissed where he wiped the tear from. Her eyes had fluttered closed as he pulled closer. He couldn't control himself as his lips found hers. They were as soft as ever and this time they kissed back. He never intended to continue kissing her; he'd just meant to kiss her cheek.

Her hands snaked to his hand still on her jaw and she kissed the palm. She then stood and pulled him up. She walked to his couch and sat down gently pulling his arm down with her. Gold sat down next to her and she just stared into his eyes. That was unsettling and it felt as if she would see the darkness that still lived in him. Rose instead just leaned forward and kissed him again. This kiss was not a gentle peck on the lips, it was full of emotion and when her tongue gently licked his lips Gold's mouth opened in shock. She pulled back and looked at his eyes, her desire clearly showing in her eyes. His heart surged and Gold leaned forward and captured her lips and this time their tongues met and danced. After what felt simultaneously like eternity and just mere seconds spent kissing Rose pulled away. The look on her face was one of remembering.

"You kissed me, when I was in the hospital. I remember it felt like a dream but I remember nonetheless." His heart pounded and his palms grew sweaty as she just looked at him. Her eyes were looking at him with assessment and reflection. She sat silently. Instead of taking the easy way out, and just claiming she must have been imagining him or that it was Aston, Gold just sighed.

"I felt like I needed to watch over you. You were so innocent and what that…slug…, just, I, I didn't want anything else to happen to you." He looked at his cane and tried to get the blurriness of tears to go away when he felt her warm hand on his chin turning his face towards her. He looked into her eyes and saw the same watery look to them and the tears spilt over onto his cheeks. Rose just gently wiped the tears away. He didn't cry for very long, just a minute or so, and instead of trying to talk he just put his arm around Rose's shoulder and they watched the shadows grow on the floor of his living room. They didn't speak that much but at some point he heard her breathing pattern change and he knew she was asleep.

+Rose+

She awoke in a strange bed groggy. It took her a second to figure out that she must be in one of Gold's guest rooms. She quietly got out of bed and walked out onto the landing. It was then that she realized that she had slept in his bedroom. A flood of butterflies filled her stomach and she had to calm herself before going downstairs. She walked towards the kitchen and saw that he was standing in front of the stove scraping at a pan. She could smell bacon floating in the air. She silently walked to the doorway and just watched him. He must have sensed her. He turned towards her and offered her a smile.

"Glad to see you up, you're just in time for breakfast, dearie." The term of endearment brought on another flood of butterflies. Rose walked towards the coffee pot and poured herself a cup of coffee, hoping to drown the butterflies. She could feel his eyes on her as she did this. He motioned for her to go sit at the table and he brought their breakfasts. He watched her as she took her first forkful of food and closed her eyes in pleasure. They sat and chatted over breakfast, and those butterflies would randomly flutter. She knew that what she did the night before she would never regret. Kissing Vincent felt as if she was fitting a puzzle piece into place. She wasn't sure what that puzzle was of but just that Vincent was a part of it.

"So, Dearie, what do you have planned for yourself?" She could tell that Vincent struggled with asking her the question. She could feel the combination of emotions going through him as he waited for her answer. It hit her like a ton of bricks that she didn't want to spend the day alone. God knows she'd spent way too much time while married alone; she sure wasn't going to let the chance go to enjoy the company of someone who wants to be there.

"Well, I have a laundry list of things I need to get done so I can move into my apartment on Monday. I need basically everything so it's going to be a busy weekend for me. I would love for you to come along, but will understand if spending a day shopping sounds like torture." She gave him a smile as a way out. Vincent just wiped his mouth on his napkin and took a final sip of coffee.

"Then we should get a start on that list then."

That is how they spent their day; they went shopping for furniture first and rather quickly. It seemed that having Vincent with her gave her VIP status, either that or the sales people were terrified of pissing him off. After she got her furniture and a delivery date for the next day the two went shopping for the things that made a house a home like bedding and dishes. It was just after three when the two finally made it to Rose's new apartment. Vincent just stood in the entryway as if he was waiting for permission to enter. It was like a flash of memory that was gone before she could even recognize it as a memory. When she looked at him she almost expected to see him clad in leather and with wavy hair. He just stood there in one of his suits both hands on his cane watching her.

"Is everything alright Rose? You look like you've seen a ghost? Oh, you dropped something, here." The pillow in his hand made the previous flash come back but this time it stayed longer.

"Uh, I, I'm fine, I just have a weird feeling of déjà vu a moment ago." The look of surprise on his face was unmistakable and she could see the slightest hint of a smile cross his face. She took the pillow and pulled him gently into the apartment.

"You don't need to stand on the doorstep like you're afraid I'll disappear if you come in." He was now in her apartment but stayed hovering near the door. Rose began to think he actually wanted to leave but didn't want to be rude so was awkwardly waiting for the moment to present itself. She was just about to suggest that if he wants to leave he can when he spoke first.

"Since you don't have anything to eat here, why don't you come back to my place for dinner? I have some excellently homemade enchiladas and we can try to find a good dessert to have with it." She was about to decline but her stomach stopped her with a very audible growl.

"I'll take that as a yes then, Dearie." He just gently took the pillow still in her hand and placed it on the ground. The pair went back to his house and spent the rest of the evening chatting idly about whatever passed their fancy. It took her until she was about to leave for the night before Rose finally asked a question she'd wanted to ask for a few days now.

"Vincent, this might be an awkward question, and I'll understand if you say no, um, would you help draw up divorce papers for me and Aston?" He momentarily hesitated and she assumed he was going to say no but he just gently squeezed her hand.

"I shall begin on Monday Rose. I just have one question. Are you absolutely positive that a divorce is what you want? A lot of people make drastic changes in their lives whenever their unhappy and end up regretting it. I just want to make sure that this isn't that." Her eyes were locked on his and she could see concern in them.

"I've been thinking about divorcing Aston for a few months now, it's not a spur of the moment thing. He and I haven't been happy for a long time, instead of dealing with the issues we would just push them aside and let them fester. We actually spoke when I got out of the hospital about our lives together. We realize we have different ideas of where we want our lives to go and that while we did love each other at one point that love is gone." He just squeezed her hand again and she stood to leave. As she stood at his threshold agreeing to a meeting time for the next day, an urge overtook Rose. Before she could even recognize what she was doing, she was kissing him. It was nothing like the night before, a kiss that bloomed into more than just a simple gesture of affection. As she pulled away she could see a look of sadness and excitement as it went across his face. She smiled at him and began her walk home. He'd offered to drive her but she declined deciding that she wanted the fresh air. She was a block away from her apartment when her stomach started hurting. It felt as if she was getting a cramp from trying to exercise on a full stomach.

She slowed down but the pain got worse. She was practically doubled over when the urge to throw up overwhelmed her. She fell onto her hands and knees as the heaving began. It seemed as if everything she'd ever eaten had decided to make its appearance. Her arms were shaky and she was finally able to push onto her knees. She sat there for a few minutes trying to quell the shaking in her limbs. When she finally made it back to her apartment she took the blanket's she'd purchased and laid them out on the floor. She passed out before her head even hit the pillow.

She awoke the next morning just after dawn, the sun just beginning to rise above the horizon. Her stomach felt back to normal and Rose just shrugged it off. Rose spent the day, after her furniture was delivered, making sure her apartment felt like her home. She looked at the clock and let out a sigh; it was 1:30 in the morning and she had the start of her new job the next day. She jumped into the shower and went to bed falling asleep instantly. Her dreams were filled with magic and castles and a man in disguise.

That Monday flew by, she spent the day going around to the classrooms introducing herself. She'd also spoken with the principal about some ideas she'd had the week prior about ways to get the children to read more. She was on an emotional high when she walked into Vincent's shop that afternoon. The look on his face looked like love, at least that's what Rose thought she saw. His look was gone in an instant.

"Ah, my dear Rose, is it five already. Well let me get the paperwork and we'll begin. Would you like some tea?" She blushed at hearing Vincent call her his. She nodded for some tea and idly looked around his shop. It was a pair of utterly creepy dolls that made Rose have a sense of déjà vu. She'd seen them before except they were on a pedestal the last time. Vincent returned at that moment and broke her train of thought.

"Those puppets are very creepy." She shuttered for effect and got a small smile from him. He set a folder on the counter and laid his hand upon it. Rose went to pick it up but Vincent just more firmly held the paper under his hand.

"I need to tell you something. I don't like doing things without knowing as much information as I can. I found something out and I think you should see it. It involves your father and Aston." Rose was finally able to pull the folder out from under his hand; it went to rest on top of his other had that held his cane. Rose initially just scanned the pages until she realized what she was looking at.

"That bastard! I cannot believe he would do that to me." She looked at the paperwork that showed that Aston had given Moe $25,000 just after they were married. Rose didn't even see Vincent as she gripped the folder tighter and stormed out of his office. Her father had some explaining to do. It wasn't as if she was raised wealthy, nor did she grow up poor. Her family's financials were tight but they were always able to pay their bills. She could see the lights on at her father's flower shop. The last time she'd been here was to defend her choice in leaving Aston and now it made perfect sense why he didn't want her to leave him.

"Thanks for stopping into Game of Thorns; I'll be with you in a moment." Moe's voice came from the back room. She just paced like a caged animal. When he finally came into the front of his store he stopped short at the sight of her.

"Rose, what a surprise."

"You could say that." She just smacked the folder down on his counter and returned to her pacing. She heard him sigh.

"How long were you planning on keeping this information from me? I was bought by Aston for $25,000, which I can only assume was to be able to rent this space. How fucking selfish are you Moe? For once I am glad Mom isn't alive to see you do something like this. This is fucking disgusting that you would sell me. Were there other offers, or did you just see an opportunity to get a few bucks? I had hoped that we could have a relationship at some point; that you would be able to get over my divorcing Aston but that's gone. Is that why you fought so damn hard for me to stay married to him? Don't you ever try contacting me. EVER." Before Moe could even open his mouth Rose just grabbed the folder and stomped out of the store. Her eyes began to blur as she walked on autopilot. The tears had long since made her practically blind as she turned the knob and heard the bell above the door. Instantly she was wrapped in his protective arms.

"I am so sorry that you had to find out about that Dearie. Come, let's have you sit down and sip a cup of tea, everything can be solved with a cup of tea and a cookie." His small smile was enough to help Rose fell marginally better. He handed her a cup of tea and she took it grateful for the warmth only then noticing that her hands were trembling slightly. Rose stared at the cup when Vincent's hand touched her arm it startled her enough to make her drop the tea. She blanched and picked up the now chipped cup and looked at him.

"I'm, uh… I'm so sorry, but, uh… It's… It's chipped. Y-You can hardly see it." She could see a flash of remembrance on his face.

"Well, it's just a cup." It was Rose's turn to have another sense of déjà vu. They'd had this exact conversation once before. It was just that she couldn't remember anything other than that. Rose sighed and put the cup down lest she shatter the thing in a moment. She took the moment to look at Vincent and really study him. He has been the one steadying thing in her life for the past several months and it scared her that she was already having feelings for the man. She was angry with herself for those feelings. Just coming out of a marriage without losing who you are is difficult enough but to fall for the first guy that is kind to you is just too textbook. She shook her head and stood up. Rose began to pace around the backroom all the while Vincent silently sat there sipping his tea and eating a cookie.

"Is everything alright, Dearie? You seem a bit unsettled, and not just from what you've just learned about your father."

"I keep having these weird feelings of déjà vu and I, I just don't know. Maybe I'm going crazy or something but it feels like we've…met…or lived together in another life. It is driving me mad. That and I'm angry with myself for developing feelings for you when I'm not even divorced yet. Oh god I should not have said that. Forget everything I just said." Mortified Rose turned and ran out of Vincent's shop. She could hear him calling out her name as she ran for the door.

Rose had been at her apartment for a couple of hours when there was a quiet knock on her door. She knew it would be Vincent, couldn't explain it but knew it would be him. She unlocked the door and opened it to find him standing there with dinner and before she could offer her rejections on eating with him he calmly walked in and set the food on her kitchen table.

"I thought you might be hungry. It's a hamburger from Granny's. I hear they are the best." Instead of just asking him to leave Rose went and unpacked the food. She did have to admit that it smelled like heaven on a bun. She also saw the folders that Vincent had shown her in the bag as well. The two sat at the table and quietly ate. Neither one was particularly chatty during the meal. It was as the meal was ending that Rose found rather than it being uncomfortable with Vincent, especially after what happened earlier, she was quite content. The two of them went over her divorce paperwork and Rose found that Moe had gotten more than just 25,000 for marrying off his daughter. He also got the house he owned now, the one Rose had always wondered about how he could afford it. She'd once asked him about that but he just brushed it off.

"Apparently I did not know my father well enough. Is this all the paperwork Vincent?" He shuffled the papers and then nodded. She stood and stretched and Vincent did the same. The two said their goodbyes and he departed for his home. At three in the morning Rose awoke again with heartburn and her stomach hurt, this time however she didn't throw up but the nausea was there. She ended up staying up the rest of the night chewing Tums like they were candy.

**AN: I know that this chapter is a little shorter than my previous ones, but I didn't want to leave those of you who are following my story hanging for too long. **


	7. Author's Note

**I just wanted to let you all know that I have been in the process of moving for the past week and a half, a week of that without internet. I am still writing on this story, so don't fear that I've abandoned it. I will try to post a chapter next week, after Thanksgiving, as I will be driving to my new home during this week. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving full of good food, family and fun.**

**~Byaboo**


	8. Chapter 7

+Gold+

Gold sat in the all too familiar seating area of the hospital, at least this time he knew that Rose was alright. Doctor Whale had already come out and spoken with him. She'd had emergency surgery and had her gall bladder removed. Every time Gold closed his eyes he sees his Belle standing there thin and her skin getting yellow. He wandered to the coffee dispenser and paid far too much for far too bad a cup of coffee.

"I think they purposefully make the coffee here horrible just to make people decide to either die or get out of here for better coffee." The laugh he heard made him jump slightly, he didn't realize he'd said that loudly enough for someone else to hear, and as he turned he saw Mary Margaret with a smile remaining on her lips. She stood with a couple of vases of flowers and he could see the cart behind her laden with more.

"Mr. Gold, sir. I am sorry for laughing, but I think you are onto something." She went to walk away and Gold spoke surprising himself.

"I wanted to thank you for helping Ms. French get the job at your school." Mary Margaret slightly shrugged her shoulders and set a vase down. For a woman who seemed to despise confrontation, the look that she speared Gold with was one of her long past authority.

"I really like Rose, Mr. Gold. I have heard about her marriage to Aston and I have seen her become more of her own person in the time she's been the librarian at the school. I would hate to see her lose all that because of ill placed affections." She grabbed for the vase and was about to turn when Gold's hand shot out and rested on her forearm. His grip was gentle but with an undercurrent of strength that made her look at him.

"I do not want to hurt Rose. I just want her happy and if that is not with me then I will quietly withdraw my attentions and let her find her happiness with someone else." The slight dilation to Mary Margaret's eyes and the small gasp were confirmation that his words hit where they needed to; he withdrew his hand and she stood still for just a second and then walked off. He had just about made it back to his seat when Whale called his name and alerted him to gurney transporting his Belle into a secluded hospital room.

"I am sorry that took a little longer than I had previously said. Her gall bladder was swollen and a little more difficult to remove. Just to be on the preemptive side of things, I also removed her appendix as it looked slightly swollen as well. Rose will need at least a week of bed rest and very light activity levels for the two weeks after that." Gold nodded and followed the gurney into the room. Rose was still coming to from the anesthesia and was currently asleep. Whale did not enter the room and the two nurses that drove the gurney left quietly. Gold took the still yellowed hand and gently kissed it. When her eyes opened there was a sense of seeing him, really seeing him that Gold could not help smiling at.

"Rumple, I've missed you but you don't have my heart anymore." By the time Gold was able to respond Rose was asleep again. It was then that the tears were blurring his vision and try as hard as he might they would not go away. Blindly he found a chair in the room and sat down hard and that was when the dam broke and Gold cried. He didn't hear the footsteps until they were right next to them and when he looked at their source he saw the face of Mary Margaret. She did not touch him, she just knelt down and was using the arm rest for support, but her mere presence and her understanding gave Gold the support he so desperately needed.

"She's still under the effects of the anesthesia, most people either don't remember what they've said or they don't mean what they say." Instead of getting up and leaving, as he'd expected her to do, Mary Margaret just sat down on the floor and leaned against the wall. Neither she nor Gold spoke and at some point Gold had fallen asleep because when he came to he had a pillow under his head and a blanket covering him.

It was a couple hours later that Rose was fully awake and was able to keep a conversation going for more than a few minutes before dosing back off. If Rose had any memory of what she'd said to Gold she did nothing to indicate that to him; instead she was back to her usual self. When what passed for dinner at the hospital came, Gold bid goodnight to Rose. She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek as he withdrew his arms from the hug.

As he slipped into his hot bath Rose's statement floated around his head. As it usually did whenever he was concerned for his Belle, Gold's mind went to Regina. He knew that Regina was plotting more than just having Rose be married to Aston, the idiot was better as a flower, but for the life of him he just couldn't figure out what her end goal was. He sat in the water until it was cold trying to figure out what Regina had up her sleeve but in the end all he got was a headache and a chill. The only thing that gave him any consolation was that Rose had called him Rumple. It gave Gold a sense of hope that her memories of their life in the dark castle were lurking somewhere in the recesses of her mind and he just had to try harder to make her remember. When he finally lay down to sleep his dreams were of Belle and the dark castle.

+Rumplestiltskin+

_The Dark Castle_

_He stood at the door of her 'room', a thought that usually made him laugh, listening for the crying to begin. It had become a ritual of his, and he couldn't understand why listening to her crying would comfort him. Her comment of him needing a companion more than a housekeeper irked him but he knew deep down that it was a true statement. This night, however, the crying never came and with a more annoyed realization hit Rumple; he was happy that she was adjusting to living in the castle. _

_"I have a surprise for you, dearie." He motioned for her to follow and without a word she did. He led her up the grand staircase. He could hear the soft patter of her feet behind him, a sound that brought a slight smile on his face. The two of them stopped in front of a door and with a flourish Rumple magically opened the door._

_"Welcome to your new room." She gasped and tentatively walked into the room. After a few seconds she turned towards him and smiled a broad smile that practically took his breath away. Belle disappeared from view as she wandered around the room. This bedroom was the second largest room, his being the largest and down an adjacent hallway, with a large balcony facing the mountains and a fireplace. There was an attached washroom. He still stood in the doorway and heard another gasp when he presumed she found the wardrobe with some fresh clothes, the gold dress was beautiful but stained beyond words. _

_She seemed to appear in front of him and threw her arms around him._

_"Thank you, thank you, thank you." _

_"It's nothing, dearie. I can't have you catching a cold." He did his giggle and disappeared to leave her some time to clean up and change into some clean clothes. The feeling of her arms wrapped around him lingered for far longer than Rumple had anticipated. It was about twenty minutes before she was back downstairs and was vigorously chopping vegetables to put into the beef stew she had started simmering in the firepot. _

+Rose+

She was just coming out of the anesthesia when she saw his face, it wasn't the same golden sparkly face she remembered, but it was the same face.

"Rumple, I've missed you but you don't have my heart anymore." She was passed out within a second of speaking awake just long enough to register a look of pain on his face. When she awoke a few hours later Vincent was still there and Rose pretended that she had no memory of the earlier comment and Vincent seemed to not want to bring it up either. She knew that name though, Rumple, it was short for something. The full name was on the tip of her tongue but try as she might she could not remember the full name.

As Rose laid in the hospital bed her thoughts eventually returned to where they usually do, to Vincent. It had been a year since the divorce and six months of her being ill before having surgery to make her better. For a man who everyone else distrusted, or outright hated, but for the life of her she knew that she was falling in love with him. While simultaneously being happy she was also angry with herself; she'd been divorce just a year and yet she was already ready to jump into a relationship with the first guy to show her attention. Lost in her thoughts Rose did not notice a person standing in her doorway until she heard the distinctive tap of his cane.

"Vincent." He quietly set down his jacket and then he turned towards her with a small smile.

"Let's go for a walk, shall we." Rose gratefully threw off the covers of the blankets. Vincent helped ease her out of the bed and with her one hand holding the IV pole the other one was gently placed in the crook of his elbow. The two slowly shuffled down to the cafeteria. There was one word that kept reverberating in her mind and try as she might she just couldn't figure out what it was short for.

"I, um, I remember what I said to you yesterday, as I was coming out of the anesthesia." Vincent stilled and Rose can see him gripping his cane to the point of his knuckles turning white.

"I, I've been having weird dreams for a while and I think that I was having one when I woke up. I, I, um, I think that my feelings have been showing through for a while and it is not what I said yesterday." Gathering up her courage, Rose stopped and Vincent turned towards her with a look of fear and hopefulness.

"Vincent I am falling for you, I, you are all I think about and I" She was cut off at that point as his lips found her mouth.

"I have felt the same way for as long as I can remember, my dear." If Rose's feet were on the floor she didn't know because she felt as if she was floating at that moment. The two continued their shuffle down to the rooftop garden. Vincent didn't leave the hospital room that afternoon, he claimed that since he owned the pawn shop that he could open it or close it at his will. All Rose could do was smile at the gesture of staying. As she fell asleep that night, her last vision was that of Vincent laying next to her on the hospitals recliner; upon waking the next morning the recliner was empty and for a second Rose thought she'd dreamed everything that happened the day before.

"Good morning, Dearie. I wanted to get a cup of coffee and since the hospital only serves sludge I had to go to Granny's for a cup. How are you feeling?"

"Better now that I know last night wasn't all a dream." The warmth of his brown eyes and the smile that spread across his face made her heart melt. They spent the day alternating between sitting and talking, walking to the rooftop garden and just sitting in comfortable silence and just enjoying being near each other.

+Belle+

_The Evil Queen's Dungeon_

_Belle sat with her back against the freezing stone wall. She could hear the thumping of heavy boots making their way down the corridor and with a swirl of purple smoke the Evil Queen was standing before her with the box that Belle knew contained her heart. _

_"Well, well, I must admit that you have lasted longer than any of my other prisoners. I have asked you one question and you have refused to answer it. I am giving you one more chance to answer the question or….well, just watch." With a flick of the Evil Queen's wrist and another swirl of smoke there stood another girl. She had black hair and a look of terror on her face._

_"This part you are familiar with." The Evil Queen thrust her hand into the poor girl's chest and extracted her glowing heart. The girl was on her knees as the Evil Queen turned towards Belle and began to squeeze the heart. The poor girl cried out but her scream became silent as the Evil Queen squeezed harder. With a final shudder of life the black haired girl laid still and the heart was literally dust._

_"Now that you know what I will do to your heart if you do not answer my questions let's start over again, shall we? Where is the dagger?" All Belle did was stare with all the hatred she could possibly feel. _

_"Kill me, if you want to. I will not tell you anything." The Evil Queen pulled her heart out of the box and began to squeeze. The pain that Belle felt was indescribable and for a few long minutes the pain increased gradually. Once the pain stopped Belle just looked at her. There was a smirk playing across the Evil Queen's lips as the two women stared at each other. _

_"My, my you remind me of a younger me. Did I ever tell you whom it was that taught me to do that" she motioned towards the dead girl between them, "you know him well, dearie." Belle saw the smirk on her face._

_"I knew that he's done things like that before and I will not judge him for his prior acts. That's not fair, he treated me well." There was a small chuckle that emanated from the Evil Queen at those words._

_"He treated you well because he still had a need for you. You, my dear, were just a pawn in his game." _

_"I'm still not going to tell you."The scream filled the room but it was not from Belle's mouth. The Evil Queen just threw Belle's heart into the box and with a final swirl of smoke she was left alone with the poor dead girl. That was a smell that Belle would never forget, the body was kept there for what seemed like a week, just long enough to bloat and smell, before it was removed by one of the Evil Queen's huntsman. _

+Regina+

She stared at the box that held that little twits heart and try as she might Regina couldn't even open the damn box. She'd been trying for the last hour to at least open the box but apparently what Gold had said made it impossible for her to even open it. With a frustrated groan Regina stalked out of her little heart dungeon and as always pauses for just a second at the top of the stairs to look at her father's name etched into the stone. She would have to figure out a way to exert her control over the idiot before it was too late.

"Henry, dinner is ready come eat." There was silence that met her statement. Regina climbed the stairs towards his room but she could not contain the anger and sadness that she felt. All Regina had wanted was a child to care for. Her child now wanted nothing to do with her. Looking into his room only confirmed this when she saw it was empty. Regina growled in frustration and walked to her room. She'd taken the twit's heart home with her, even though it physically pained her to even hold the box. At least with Henry gone for the night she'd be able to try and figure out a way to get what she wanted. Regina thought back to their meeting and realized that Gold had made a fatal loophole in his statement to her that night. A smile broke across her face as a plan fell into place. Regina looked at the time and saw that unfortunately it was too late to begin her plan. For the first time in a while Regina slept peacefully with a small smirk of victory on her lips.

She sat in her office; she'd already gotten an update about the twit, still in the hospital, so Regina knew that she would be able to get to the girl now. Gold never missed a day and Regina knew that would work to her advantage. The person on the other end of the line answered after three rings.

"I have a job for you to do. I'm in my office, meet me at one." The person on the other end did not say a word and hung up as soon as she was finished speaking. At precisely one her most loyal subject was standing in front of her.

"What did you need, madam Mayor?" The hulking figure stood in front of her desk. Regina grimaced and pulled out the box from the drawer. The thumping was loud and it drew the attention of her favorite hunter, well her favorite since Graham died.

"I cannot touch the heart; even touching the box physically hurts me. I have found a loophole to my problem though." The smirk that had crossed her lips last night returned as she filled in her Hunter. Just over an hour later he left with the ever thumping heart. For the first time in a while Regina felt as if she was getting the better of Gold. She knew that if she played the heart right she would be able to get what she wanted.

"Regina, I was wondering if you wanted to get a bite to eat." Aston stood just inside her office and with a sigh of annoyance she just glared at him.

"I've told you before, Aston, I don't want to have anything to do with you. Leave now before I call the police." He just turned and he was almost all the way out of her office before he turned back around.

"I want you to know that you are an evil vindictive person. You have no heart. You convinced me to sleep with you claiming that you were falling for me but as soon as things ended between me and Rose you just stopped even speaking to me. I deserve more of an answer than just you don't want to anymore." She just glared at him and finally answered him honestly.

"I just wanted to see if you would be weak enough to succumb to me. You were married and I liked the challenge. Now, leave." She turned her back on him and could hear the heavy thudding of his retreating footsteps.

**AN: I am sorry that it took me over two months, 67 days by the fanfic counter, to post this chapter. I had to pack up and move halfway across the country with in a couple of weeks so I've been busy getting things unpacked and organized in my new place. I have a bit of an outline for the story line so hopefully I'll be averaging about a month between posts.**


	9. Chapter 8

+Belle+

_The Dark Castle_

_Belle sat staring out at the mountains. It had been a couple of months since Rumple had given her this room. It was a surprise to say the least. A thought had begun to nag her, in reality she'd always wondered but now it was more persistent, why her. His claim of needing a maid was ridiculous because the castle had some sort of spell that made the more strenuous cleaning obsolete, like cleaning the stone receiving room. That room constantly had snow traipsed into it but whenever she came with a bucket of sudsy water and a cloth the floor would be pristine. He never let her see any of the people that brave coming to the castle to meet with Rumplestiltskin; she would inevitably be magically placed in her room with a new book and a tray laden with food. The one time she tried to leave the room the door was found to be locked. She could hear him moving around out in the garden area and with a renewed sense of confidence Belle made her way towards him._

_"I was wondering if I could ask you a question, and get a straight and honest answer." Belle was clever enough to know that she had to be explicit with her requests because as she was witnessed to his ability to escape through a loophole. Instead of saying something Rumple just looked at her with a quizzical look on his face._

_"Why me? You could have had your pick of better maids than me as well as a better price with someone else." He just quirked an eyebrow at her._

_"A better price?"_

_"Well, someone like Gaston-" he cut her off with a sneer and a small chuckle._

_"I picked you partially because your father was the one to make the deal and you are the most precious thing to him. I could also tell that you were flailing there. Part of my abilities is to tell when people are their most desperate and quite frankly dearie you were just as desperate as your father to leave your betrothal." Belle had thought that she was hiding that desperation well, but apparently not. She could feel him staring at her, no not at her through her, and she blushed. Rumple just giggled his maniacal giggle at her obvious embarrassment. _

_"I, I will go and, um, begin making dinner." She fled into the castle still feeling as if he was watching her even though a wall separated them. Feeling calmer now that she was doing something that she'd grown to love, Belle thought about Gaston. Thinking about Gaston led to thinking about her father. It had been a year and a half since she'd agreed to go with Rumplestiltskin. She knew that what she'd done was for the best of Avonlea but that didn't stop the tear from making its way down her cheek._

_"I didn't mean to make you cry." The sudden voice made Belle jump and wipe the tear off her cheek. He stood in the doorway leaning on the doorframe with his ankles crossed. To try and dispel the awkwardness Belle poured the ever present and ever hot tea into two mugs. She just kept quiet rather than telling him what she was thinking. It was in that moment that Belle noticed that Rumplestiltskin was drinking out of the teacup that she'd chipped her first day there. Seeing that gave her the courage to tell him what made her cry._

_"You didn't make me cry. I was just thinking about my father, ever since my mother died all we had was each other and I worry about him from time to time." Rumple just stood there looking at his teacup._

_"I don't regret coming, I am surprisingly content here. I just worry from time to time. Please don't be angry with me." He just looked at her with a look of compassion, a look that took Belle's breath away. It was at that moment that she felt that there was more than just a friendship blooming between them._

_"I know the feeling of being ripped from people you love." He did not elaborate and by this point Belle knew better than to try and cajole more information out of him, she instead just pulled the stew from the fire and filled two bowls with the steaming meal. They ate in the kitchen quietly._

+Rose+

It had been three weeks before Rose was able to get back to the school library. Thankfully the day prior Dr. Whale gave her a clean bill of health and said she could return to all previous activity. If Vincent had his way though she would still be on bed rest, she smiled at the thought of his doting on her. He had insisted that since she had no one to help her around her apartment that she come and stay with him at his house. The thought scared her a little; she'd only ever spent the day or the evening with him but actually physically sleeping near him made her heart pound. Vincent was a perfect gentleman; he did not enter her room unless she explicitly said he could. When she saw the fireplace she had yet another flash of déjà vu and when she turned to comment she could practically see Vincent standing there in an elaborate getup with that golden skin. Rose still couldn't get out of her mind that she called him Rumple. She spent way too much time trying to remember why she called him that.

That first night was awkward though. She was still very sore from the surgeries and laying in the hospital bed so any physical activity tired her out quickly. Vincent had to practically carry her up the stairs to the bedroom he'd set up for her. When she walked into the room, she could have sworn that it was the master bedroom. It had a fireplace with a couple of chairs in front of it. The bed was canopied with both light curtains and heavier velvet curtains, both artistically tied back to the bedposts. There was a massive attached bathroom with a claw foot tub and a massive closet to the right of the bathroom.

"If I were a betting woman, I think you gave me your bedroom. Vincent, I would be fine at my place, I don't want to put you out." He just gently took her chin and kissed her nose.

"My bedroom, Dearie, is through that door and I promise you, I give up my sanctuary to no one." He smiled at her and she couldn't help but hug him in response. He suggested that she take a nap and while she initially wanted to fight the suggestion Rose realized that she was exhausted. Vincent helped her get her shoes off and covered her up. She was asleep as soon as the door was closed. Rose had pleasant dreams of living in a mountain castle with breath taking views.

"Wake up, my dear. I have some food for you to eat." Groggily Rose sat up and when the smell of the food hit her nose her stomach growled loudly. She blushed but Vincent just acted like he didn't hear anything. On the tray sat a bowl of chicken noodle soup. Rose could tell that this was not soup from a can.

"Oh, Vincent this is the best soup I've ever eaten." He smiled slightly and looked at his cane.

"It's nothing, you were probably just starved from what they claimed was food at the hospital." Rose just laughed which sent a wave of pain over her abdomen. She ate two bowls of the soup and then decided to continue her pattern she'd started at the hospital, and that was a post meal walk. When she swung her legs over the edge of the bed Vincent immediately was by her side.

"Are you okay, are you going to be sick?" His concern for her warmed her and she just smiled at him.

"I'm fine, Vincent. I was going to take a little bit of a shuffle, like we did at the hospital." He silently stood and gently helped her up. Vincent led her down the stairs and out his back door. They wandered silently around his garden, occasionally stopping so Rose could smell a flower. The weather had finally taken the turn towards winter and they could see their breath as they walked. The two were almost back in the house when she heard her name being called.

"Rose, is that you?" The two turned to the new person and Rose looked into the eyes of her ex-husband.

"Hello, Aston." He nodded in response but she noticed that Vincent just stared at him like he would kidnap her away from him. His hand on her elbow slightly tightened, just enough to let her know that he was there if she needed him to be.

"I, are you two dating?" It was inevitable that this would happen; they lived in a small town and all, so Rose didn't take it as an accusation of any sort.

"Yes, we are dating. What can I help you with Aston?"

"I, I, I think that Regina is trying to, I don't know, it's just a feeling I have, but I think she is trying to hurt you." The hand on her elbow gripped even tighter causing Rose to gently remove it from Vincent's grasp and take a step towards Aston.

"What do you mean, or more importantly, why?" Aston just shrugged and shifted on his feet. The trio stood silently for a moment before Vincent spoke.

"Because of me, she has certain ideas about me that are completely unfounded but that hasn't stopped her from trying to harm me and those I care about." Aston seemed uncomfortable so he returned to his home. Rose and Vincent sat at the kitchen island waiting for the kettle to come to a boil. Neither had spoken in the ten minutes it took to take jackets off and start the kettle. Rose just looked at her teacup and out of her periphery she could see that Vincent was slowly turning his cane between his hands.

"Can you explain these 'ideas' that Regina has about you and why they would lead to me, please. I don't quite understand." Vincent was saved by the whistle of the teakettle. He turned off the burner and poured the steaming water into the teapot. The whole time he didn't look at Rose.

"Now is not the time." Rose opened her mouth to counter the statement but one look from Vincent was enough to silence her.

"Dearie, I promise you I will explain everything but not now, now you need to focus on getting better." Rose knew she was getting a bit of a brush off but she didn't push him. She was smart enough to know that pushing Vincent would lead to no sort of resolution to anything. Once their tea had been drunk the two found themselves sitting in front of a roaring fire, Rose had lain her head on Vincent's thigh while he read to her, it was her favorite story, Beauty and the Beast. At some point during the story Rose had been lulled into a semi sleep state when she finally figured out what Rumple was short for. She sat up and nearly collided with the corner of the book.

"Is everything okay, Rose? You aren't in any pain are you?" She felt stupid for having such a reaction to remembering such a ridiculous tidbit but for the life of her she felt as if yet another puzzle piece was falling into place.

"Do you remember when I called you Rumple in the hospital?" Vincent just nodded and quietly closed the book as a way of encouraging her to continue speaking.

"It has been stumping me for a week now, I know Rumple was short for something but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what. I know now, Rumple is short for Rumplestiltskin." There was the briefest flash of hope in his eyes but it quickly passed.

"Now the bigger question is why would I call you Rumple."

+Gold+

Gold stood in his bedroom looking out at the garden. Rose was slowly beginning to put small, miniscule in his opinion, pieces together towards her prior life. After her realization the two decided to call it a night but she never brought it up again. She'd been back at work for two weeks now but it felt like two years especially since she'd returned back to her apartment. The solitude of his house had never bothered him before this but since she was gone, the silence was deafening. He could hear the teakettle whistle and he grabbed his robe and cane and headed downstairs. Rose had called and told him that she wouldn't be able to make it to his house that night for dinner, Ruby wanted to take her out drinking and Gold knew that telling that wolf no was impossible. She did promise to come over if she was able to sneak away but that was two hours ago so Gold had given up hope of seeing her.

His phone buzzed at midnight and Gold cursed the person. At least he did until he saw who the call was from.

"So, I'm guessing that since you are calling me at midnight, you are either too drunk to drive or this is some sort of booty call." He heard a quiet giggle and some chatter in the background.

"I'm not drunk; I had one margarita when we got here two hours ago. I just really missed you and wanted to hear your voice. Ruby won't let me leave. She keeps saying I need to loosen up." Gold smiled at the thought. He could hear the chatter die down to nothing.

"I've stepped outside, I also wanted to say thank you so much for being my caretaker after my surgery. I don't think I've ever been more taken care of. I wanted to talk to you about something tonight." He could hear the hesitation in her voice and his heart sank. He knew what was coming and it would be a let's be friends speech. Gold was preparing himself for hearing the words.

"Whatever it is, Dearie, just tell me." He hoped the fear didn't show in his voice. It felt like an eternity before he heard her sigh into the phone.

"Vincent, I, I, um, I'm not sure how long I've felt this way but it really hit me tonight while I was out. Hang on a second." Gold heard a knock on his door and instead of just ignoring it, like he usually did, he felt compelled to open it. When he did his breath was taken away at the sight standing there. Rose stood in the doorway wearing a corseted top with a full skirt that fell to mid thigh and thigh high pantyhose that held a rose pattern on them with patent leather stilettos. She had a shawl draped across her shoulders that did nothing but highlight her collarbone and neck. Her hair was loosely piled on top of her head with a few curls escaping their confinement.

"Vincent, I love you." His hand found its way to her neck and with a kiss that was crushing. Her hands found their way to his waist bringing him to her. He pulled away from her long enough to look into her eyes.

"I have been hoping you would say that for the longest time, my dear. I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you." Her eyes shone at that moment and a smile spread across her face. She took her hand and placed it on the back of his head and pulled him towards her, her eyes fluttered closed as did his, this kiss was magical. Rose pulled away with a gasp and her eyes flew open. Her hand found her mouth and she stood there for a second.

"Rumple, it's you." Hearing his true name made Rumple smile.

"Aye, and you are…" Rumple needed to hear her say it. A smile broke out across her face.

"I'm Belle." It was all he needed to hear and with a soul searing kiss that left them both breathless, Rumplestiltskin tried to make up for the first failed kiss. Again, Belle gasped while her other hand flew to her chest. Rumplestiltskin could see her pale a bit and his heart seized, he knew that look before.

+Regina+

She sat in a car at the corner of Gold's street and watched as the two kissed and as the curse broke for them, the wave of air dissipating out around them was a dead giveaway. Her hunter was seated next to her with the heart in his hand.

"Ease up a little; I don't want her to die, yet." He did as she commanded. As she looked back towards the house, Regina could see the look of concern crossing Gold's face. Regina just smirked.

"That's enough for tonight." She could see out of the corner of her eye that her hunter squeezed the heart once more and then unceremoniously dropped it into the box. Other than Graham, who had to be forced into doing her bidding, this hunter seemed to relish causing pain. He was the one after all that had hurt the twit a year ago. He was able to get off with parole because Regina was able to pull some strings. She waited until Gold had closed the door and then ten minutes after that before she cranked her car and drove off. Regina knew that Gold was smart enough to figure out what was happening to his precious twit, but that would take time and it was that time that Regina was counting on to get what she wanted.

Regina had just finished breakfast with a smile still plastered to her face from the previous night. On top of that Henry had stayed home all night and he was actually speaking to her close to normal.

"Go upstairs and finish getting ready for school, Henry, no dawdling." He nodded and disappeared upstairs. She heard the telltale sound of her car outside her house. The child-stealer was halfway down the walkway when Regina opened the door.

"Um, I, thanks for letting me pick up Henry for school." Regina just nodded and acted as if she'd just remembered something.

"Please, Emma, come in. I made apple strudel for breakfast but I made too much to eat, would you like a piece?" The woman just silently nodded and quietly followed Regina into the house.

"Henry, I have a surprise for you, so please hurry up." She could hear the gentle stomping of him moving around his room. The two stepped into the kitchen and Regina placed Henry's lunch in his backpack, noticing that the damn book was in there, and handed her the strudel.

"Why don't you take Henry's backpack out to your car, along with the strudel, that way you two can leave more quickly." The woman just nodded and took the backpack and the container and began walking towards the front door. She stopped suddenly and turned towards Regina.

"I just wanted to thank you for letting me spend time with Henry, I've really been enjoying getting to know him." Regina tried her hardest to put on a smile but she knew that it came across more as a sneer.

"I just want him happy and if that includes you then it includes you." With that, Emma walked out the door to her car. Henry had just made it down the stairs as Emma walked back in the house.

"Emma! Is this what you wanted to surprise me with Re-mom?" He called her mom, not Emma but her.

"Yup, and she is picking you up from school this afternoon as well." The boy grinned and hugged Regina and then practically skipped out the door with Emma. Hopefully by this afternoon Emma will be in a coma that she could never be awoken from, Regina had used the last of her sleeping curse potion on that strudel.

At four that afternoon Regina's office phone rang.

"Mayor Mills speaking how-" She was cut off by a frantic Emma on the other end.

"Get to the hospital now! Henry is, I don't know but he's sick and you need to get here." The phone went dead. She was on her feet and out the door in what felt like seconds. Once she reached the hospital Emma cornered her.

"What the hell did you put in that strudel? Henry ate it. He claimed that you were trying to kill me with it." Regina's heart sank. There was only one person who could help them.

"We need to go speak with Gold, he'll be able to help us." The two went off running towards Gold's shop.

**AN: I hope you all are enjoying the story so far. **


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